diff --git a/src/cdk/testing/protractor/protractor-element.ts b/src/cdk/testing/protractor/protractor-element.ts
index 7167f45363f0..4c4f70c489ec 100644
--- a/src/cdk/testing/protractor/protractor-element.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/testing/protractor/protractor-element.ts
@@ -111,7 +111,9 @@ export class ProtractorElement implements TestElement {
     const modifierKeys = toProtractorModifierKeys(modifiers);
     const keys = rest.map(k => typeof k === 'string' ? k.split('') : [keyMap[k]])
         .reduce((arr, k) => arr.concat(k), [])
-        .map(k => Key.chord(...modifierKeys, k));
+        // Key.chord doesn't work well with geckodriver (mozilla/geckodriver#1502),
+        // so avoid it if no modifier keys are required.
+        .map(k => modifierKeys.length > 0 ? Key.chord(...modifierKeys, k) : k);
 
     return this.element.sendKeys(...keys);
   }