diff --git a/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.spec.ts b/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.spec.ts
index 476de8a68c..d299e3ff51 100644
--- a/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.spec.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,39 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import { Component, ViewChild } from '@angular/core';
+import { TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { DataColumnComponent } from './data-column.component';
 
-describe('DataColumnListComponent', () => {
+@Component({
+    imports: [DataColumnComponent],
+    template: `
+        <data-column key="name">
+            <ng-template />
+        </data-column>
+    `
+})
+class DirectTemplateHostComponent {
+    @ViewChild(DataColumnComponent)
+    dataColumn: DataColumnComponent;
+}
+
+@Component({
+    imports: [DataColumnComponent],
+    template: `
+        <data-column key="name">
+            <div>
+                <ng-template />
+            </div>
+        </data-column>
+    `
+})
+class NestedTemplateHostComponent {
+    @ViewChild(DataColumnComponent)
+    dataColumn: DataColumnComponent;
+}
+
+describe('DataColumnComponent', () => {
     it('should setup screen reader title for thumbnails', () => {
         const component = new DataColumnComponent();
         component.key = '$thumbnail';
@@ -25,4 +55,20 @@ describe('DataColumnListComponent', () => {
         component.ngOnInit();
         expect(component.srTitle).toBeTruthy();
     });
+
+    describe('template ContentChild selection', () => {
+        it('should capture a direct ng-template child', () => {
+            const directFixture = TestBed.createComponent(DirectTemplateHostComponent);
+            directFixture.detectChanges();
+
+            expect(directFixture.componentInstance.dataColumn.template).toBeTruthy();
+        });
+
+        it('should not capture a nested descendant ng-template', () => {
+            const nestedFixture = TestBed.createComponent(NestedTemplateHostComponent);
+            nestedFixture.detectChanges();
+
+            expect(nestedFixture.componentInstance.dataColumn.template).toBeFalsy();
+        });
+    });
 });
diff --git a/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.ts b/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.ts
index e716d6c87b..671b004e46 100644
--- a/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.ts
+++ b/lib/core/src/lib/datatable/data-column/data-column.component.ts
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export class DataColumnComponent implements OnInit {
     @Input()
     subtitle: string = '';
 
-    @ContentChild(TemplateRef)
+    @ContentChild(TemplateRef, { descendants: false })
     template: any;
 
     /** Custom tooltip formatter function. */