diff --git a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.js b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.js
index 2be6943d540..21f71141683 100644
--- a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.js
+++ b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.js
@@ -169,8 +169,13 @@ function MdCheckboxDirective(inputDirective, $mdAria, $mdConstant, $mdTheming, $
         }
       }
 
+      /**
+       * @param {KeyboardEvent} ev 'keypress' event to handle
+       */
       function keypressHandler(ev) {
         var keyCode = ev.which || ev.keyCode;
+        var submit, form;
+
         ev.preventDefault();
         switch (keyCode) {
           case $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.SPACE:
@@ -178,10 +183,15 @@ function MdCheckboxDirective(inputDirective, $mdAria, $mdConstant, $mdTheming, $
             listener(ev);
             break;
           case $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER:
-            var form = $mdUtil.getClosest(ev.target, 'form');
-            // We have to use a native event here as the form directive does not use jqlite
+            // Match the behavior of the native input type="checkbox".
+            // It's important that MouseEvent is used here versus Event in order to match the native
+            // behavior and properly trigger ng-submit.
+            form = $mdUtil.getClosest(ev.target, 'form');
             if (form) {
-              form.dispatchEvent(new Event('submit'));
+              submit = form.querySelector('button[type="submit"]:enabled, input[type="submit"]:enabled');
+              if (submit) {
+                submit.click();
+              }
             }
             break;
         }
diff --git a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.js b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.js
index f010fe6d4dc..dfab773d048 100644
--- a/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.js
+++ b/src/components/checkbox/checkbox.spec.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 describe('mdCheckbox', function() {
   var CHECKED_CSS = 'md-checked';
   var INDETERMINATE_CSS = 'md-indeterminate';
-  var $compile, $log, pageScope, $mdConstant;
+  var $compile, $log, pageScope, $mdConstant, $window;
 
   beforeEach(module('ngAria', 'material.components.checkbox'));
 
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@ describe('mdCheckbox', function() {
     $compile = $injector.get('$compile');
     $log = $injector.get('$log');
     $mdConstant = $injector.get('$mdConstant');
+    $window = $injector.get('$window');
 
     var $rootScope = $injector.get('$rootScope');
-    pageScope = $rootScope.$new();
+    pageScope = $rootScope.$new(false);
   }));
 
   function compileAndLink(template, opt_scope) {
@@ -298,15 +299,137 @@ describe('mdCheckbox', function() {
       expect(isChecked(checkbox)).toBe(false);
     });
 
-    it('should submit a parent form when ENTER is pressed', function () {
-      var form = compileAndLink('<form><md-checkbox ng-checked="value"></md-checkbox></form>');
-      angular.element(form[0].getElementsByTagName('md-checkbox')[0]).triggerHandler({
-        type: 'keypress',
-        keyCode: $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER
+    it('should not submit a parent form when ENTER is pressed and there is no submit button/input',
+      function() {
+        var submitted = false;
+        pageScope.onSubmit = function() {
+          submitted = true;
+        };
+        var form = compileAndLink('<form name="form" ng-submit="onSubmit()">' +
+          '<md-checkbox ng-checked="value"></md-checkbox></form>');
+
+        // We need to add the form to the DOM in order for `submit` events to be properly fired.
+        var node = $window.document.body.appendChild(form[0]);
+        angular.element(form[0].getElementsByTagName('md-checkbox')[0]).triggerHandler({
+          type: 'keypress',
+          keyCode: $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER
+        });
+        pageScope.$apply();
+        expect(submitted).toBe(false);
+        expect(pageScope.form.$submitted).toBe(false);
+        $window.document.body.removeChild(node);
+      });
+
+    it('should click an enabled submit button when ENTER is pressed',
+      function() {
+        var submitted = false;
+        pageScope.onSubmit = function() {
+          submitted = true;
+        };
+        var form = compileAndLink(
+          '<form name="form"><md-checkbox ng-checked="value"></md-checkbox>' +
+          '<button type="submit" ng-click="onSubmit()">Submit</button></form>');
+
+        // We need to add the form to the DOM in order for `submit` events to be properly fired.
+        var node = $window.document.body.appendChild(form[0]);
+        angular.element(form[0].getElementsByTagName('md-checkbox')[0]).triggerHandler({
+          type: 'keypress',
+          keyCode: $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER
+        });
+        pageScope.$apply();
+        expect(submitted).toBe(true);
+        expect(pageScope.form.$submitted).toBe(true);
+        $window.document.body.removeChild(node);
+      });
+
+    it('should click an enabled submit input when ENTER is pressed',
+      function() {
+        var submitted = false;
+        pageScope.onSubmit = function() {
+          submitted = true;
+        };
+        var form = compileAndLink(
+          '<form name="form"><md-checkbox ng-checked="value"></md-checkbox>' +
+          '<input type="submit" ng-click="onSubmit()" value="Submit"></form>');
+
+        // We need to add the form to the DOM in order for `submit` events to be properly fired.
+        var node = $window.document.body.appendChild(form[0]);
+        angular.element(form[0].getElementsByTagName('md-checkbox')[0]).triggerHandler({
+          type: 'keypress',
+          keyCode: $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER
+        });
+        pageScope.$apply();
+        expect(submitted).toBe(true);
+        expect(pageScope.form.$submitted).toBe(true);
+        $window.document.body.removeChild(node);
+      });
+
+    it('should submit a parent form when ENTER is pressed and there is an enabled submit button',
+      function() {
+        var submitted = false;
+        pageScope.onSubmit = function() {
+          submitted = true;
+        };
+        var form = compileAndLink(
+          '<form name="form" ng-submit="onSubmit()"><md-checkbox ng-checked="value">' +
+          '</md-checkbox><button type="submit">Submit</button></form>');
+
+        // We need to add the form to the DOM in order for `submit` events to be properly fired.
+        var node = $window.document.body.appendChild(form[0]);
+        angular.element(form[0].getElementsByTagName('md-checkbox')[0]).triggerHandler({
+          type: 'keypress',
+          keyCode: $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER
+        });
+        pageScope.$apply();
+        expect(submitted).toBe(true);
+        expect(pageScope.form.$submitted).toBe(true);
+        $window.document.body.removeChild(node);
+      });
+
+    it('should submit a parent form when ENTER is pressed and there is an enabled submit input',
+      function() {
+        var submitted = false;
+        pageScope.onSubmit = function() {
+          submitted = true;
+        };
+        var form = compileAndLink(
+          '<form name="form" ng-submit="onSubmit()"><md-checkbox ng-checked="value">' +
+          '</md-checkbox><input type="submit" value="Submit"></form>');
+
+        // We need to add the form to the DOM in order for `submit` events to be properly fired.
+        var node = $window.document.body.appendChild(form[0]);
+        angular.element(form[0].getElementsByTagName('md-checkbox')[0]).triggerHandler({
+          type: 'keypress',
+          keyCode: $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER
+        });
+        pageScope.$apply();
+        expect(submitted).toBe(true);
+        expect(pageScope.form.$submitted).toBe(true);
+        $window.document.body.removeChild(node);
+      });
+
+    it('should not submit a parent form when ENTER is pressed and the submit components are disabled',
+      function() {
+        var submitted = false;
+        pageScope.onSubmit = function() {
+          submitted = true;
+        };
+        var form = compileAndLink(
+          '<form name="form"><md-checkbox ng-checked="value"></md-checkbox>' +
+          '<input type="submit" ng-click="onSubmit()" value="Submit" disabled>' +
+          '<button type="submit" ng-click="onSubmit()" disabled>Submit</button></form>');
+
+        // We need to add the form to the DOM in order for `submit` events to be properly fired.
+        var node = $window.document.body.appendChild(form[0]);
+        angular.element(form[0].getElementsByTagName('md-checkbox')[0]).triggerHandler({
+          type: 'keypress',
+          keyCode: $mdConstant.KEY_CODE.ENTER
+        });
+        pageScope.$apply();
+        expect(submitted).toBe(false);
+        expect(pageScope.form.$submitted).toBe(false);
+        $window.document.body.removeChild(node);
       });
-      pageScope.$apply();
-      expect(form[0].classList.contains('ng-submitted')).toBe(true);
-    });
 
     it('should mark the checkbox as selected on load with ng-checked', function() {
       pageScope.isChecked = function() { return true; };
diff --git a/src/core/util/util.js b/src/core/util/util.js
index 70a036d35e6..804ab41b0fc 100644
--- a/src/core/util/util.js
+++ b/src/core/util/util.js
@@ -537,7 +537,8 @@ function UtilFactory($document, $timeout, $compile, $rootScope, $$mdAnimate, $in
      * @param {string|function} validateWith If a string is passed, it will be evaluated against
      * each of the parent nodes' tag name. If a function is passed, the loop will call it with each
      * of the parents and will use the return value to determine whether the node is a match.
-     * @param {boolean} onlyParent Only start checking from the parent element, not `el`.
+     * @param {boolean=} onlyParent Only start checking from the parent element, not `el`.
+     * @returns {Node|null} closest matching parent Node or null if not found
      */
     getClosest: function getClosest(el, validateWith, onlyParent) {
       if (angular.isString(validateWith)) {