diff --git a/libs/widgets/metabutton.cc b/libs/widgets/metabutton.cc
index 312530ffe8..12c74e2385 100644
--- a/libs/widgets/metabutton.cc
+++ b/libs/widgets/metabutton.cc
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ using namespace ArdourWidgets;
 MetaButton::MetaButton ()
 	: _active (0)
 	, _hover_dropdown (false)
+	, _scrolling_disabled (false)
 {
 	_menu.signal_size_request ().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &MetaButton::menu_size_request));
 	_menu.set_reserve_toggle_size (false);
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ MetaButton::add_item (std::string const& label, std::string const & menutext, Gt
 {
 	using namespace Menu_Helpers;
 
+	_scrolling_disabled = true; // n/a for submenus
 	add_sizing_text (label);
 	MenuList& items = _menu.items ();
 	items.push_back (MetaElement (label, menutext, cb, sigc::mem_fun (*this, &MetaButton::activate_item), submenu));
@@ -123,6 +125,57 @@ MetaButton::on_motion_notify_event (GdkEventMotion* ev)
 	return false;
 }
 
+bool
+MetaButton::on_scroll_event (GdkEventScroll* ev)
+{
+	using namespace Menu_Helpers;
+
+	if (_scrolling_disabled) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	const MenuItem* current_active = _menu.get_active ();
+	if (!current_active) {
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	int c = 0;
+	const MenuList& items = _menu.items ();
+
+	switch (ev->direction) {
+		case GDK_SCROLL_UP:
+			for (MenuList::const_reverse_iterator i = items.rbegin (); i != items.rend (); ++i, ++c) {
+				if (&(*i) != current_active) {
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (++i != items.rend ()) {
+					c = items.size () - 2 - c;
+					assert (c >= 0);
+					_menu.set_active (c);
+					_menu.activate_item (*i);
+				}
+				break;
+			}
+			break;
+		case GDK_SCROLL_DOWN:
+			for (MenuList::const_iterator i = items.begin (); i != items.end (); ++i, ++c) {
+				if (&(*i) != current_active) {
+					continue;
+				}
+				if (++i != items.end ()) {
+					assert (c + 1 < (int) items.size ());
+					_menu.set_active (c + 1);
+					_menu.activate_item (*i);
+				}
+				break;
+			}
+			break;
+		default:
+			break;
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
 void
 MetaButton::activate_item (MetaMenuItem const* e)
 {
diff --git a/libs/widgets/widgets/metabutton.h b/libs/widgets/widgets/metabutton.h
index c0c3a690ec..7fa28913f6 100644
--- a/libs/widgets/widgets/metabutton.h
+++ b/libs/widgets/widgets/metabutton.h
@@ -49,9 +49,15 @@ public:
 
 	bool is_menu_popup_event (GdkEventButton* ev) const;
 
+	void disable_scrolling ()
+	{
+		_scrolling_disabled = true;
+	}
+
 protected:
 	bool on_button_press_event (GdkEventButton*);
 	bool on_motion_notify_event (GdkEventMotion*);
+	bool on_scroll_event (GdkEventScroll*);
 	void menu_size_request (Gtk::Requisition*);
 	void render (Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::Context> const&, cairo_rectangle_t*);
 
@@ -126,6 +132,7 @@ private:
 	Gtk::Menu _menu;
 	guint     _active;
 	bool      _hover_dropdown;
+	bool      _scrolling_disabled;
 };
 
 } // namespace ArdourWidgets