diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index 26e57b59e6..7af556416d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ Editor::Editor ()
 	signal_configure_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*ARDOUR_UI::instance(), &ARDOUR_UI::configure_handler));
 	signal_delete_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*ARDOUR_UI::instance(), &ARDOUR_UI::exit_on_main_window_close));
 
-	Gtkmm2ext::Keyboard::the_keyboard().ShiftReleased.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Editor::shift_key_released));
+	Gtkmm2ext::Keyboard::the_keyboard().ZoomVerticalModifierReleased.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Editor::zoom_vertical_modifier_released));
 	
 	/* allow external control surfaces/protocols to do various things */
 
@@ -5510,7 +5510,7 @@ Editor::popup_control_point_context_menu (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* ev
 }
 
 void
-Editor::shift_key_released ()
+Editor::zoom_vertical_modifier_released()
 {
 	_stepping_axis_view = 0;
 }
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
index 12db349e39..566586ebe4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
@@ -2053,15 +2053,16 @@ class Editor : public PublicEditor, public PBD::ScopedConnectionList, public ARD
 	bool _control_point_toggled_on_press;
 
 	/** This is used by TimeAxisView to keep a track of the TimeAxisView that is currently being
-	    stepped in height using Shift-Scrollwheel.  When a scroll event occurs, we do the step on
-	    this _stepping_axis_view if it is non-0 (and we set up this _stepping_axis_view with the
-	    TimeAxisView underneath the mouse if it is 0).  Then Editor resets _stepping_axis_view when
-	    the shift key is released.  In this (hacky) way, pushing shift and moving the scroll wheel
-	    will operate on the same track until shift is released (rather than skipping about to whatever
-	    happens to be underneath the mouse at the time).
+	    stepped in height using ScrollZoomVerticalModifier+Scrollwheel.  When a scroll event
+	    occurs, we do the step on this _stepping_axis_view if it is non-0 (and we set up this
+	    _stepping_axis_view with the TimeAxisView underneath the mouse if it is 0).  Then Editor
+	    resets _stepping_axis_view when the modifier key is released.  In this (hacky) way,
+	    pushing the modifier key and moving the scroll wheel will operate on the same track
+	    until the key is released (rather than skipping about to whatever happens to be
+	    underneath the mouse at the time).
 	*/
 	TimeAxisView* _stepping_axis_view;
-	void shift_key_released ();
+	void zoom_vertical_modifier_released();
 
 	friend class Drag;
 	friend class RegionDrag;
diff --git a/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.h b/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.h
index 84988e1525..2c6b026a42 100644
--- a/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.h
+++ b/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.h
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class Keyboard : public sigc::trackable, PBD::Stateful
 	    }
 	};
 
-	sigc::signal0<void> ShiftReleased;
+	sigc::signal0<void> ZoomVerticalModifierReleased;
 
   protected:
 	static Keyboard* _the_keyboard;
diff --git a/libs/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.cc b/libs/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.cc
index f694471d9a..5087f61a23 100644
--- a/libs/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.cc
+++ b/libs/gtkmm2ext/keyboard.cc
@@ -248,12 +248,15 @@ Keyboard::snooper (GtkWidget *widget, GdkEventKey *event)
 		keyval = event->keyval;
 	}
 
-	if (keyval == GDK_Shift_L) {
+	if (event->state & ScrollZoomVerticalModifier) {
 		/* There is a special and rather hacky situation in Editor which makes
-		   it useful to know when a shift key has been released, so emit a signal
-		   here (see Editor::_stepping_axis_view)
+		   it useful to know when the modifier key for vertical zoom has been
+		   released, so emit a signal here (see Editor::_stepping_axis_view).
+		   Note that the state bit for the modifier key is set for the key-up
+		   event when the modifier is released, but not the key-down when it
+		   is pressed, so we get here on key-up, which is what we want.
 		*/
-		ShiftReleased (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
+		ZoomVerticalModifierReleased (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
 	}
 
 	if (event->type == GDK_KEY_PRESS) {