diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7bc4b827e..13fa143e0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
     "random-words": "0.0.1",
     "runas": "0.5.x",
     "scandal": "0.15.0",
+    "scrollbar-style": "^0.1.0",
     "season": ">=1.0.2 <2.0",
     "semver": "1.1.4",
     "serializable": "1.x",
diff --git a/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee b/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee
index e034d9ed4..41e9940d3 100644
--- a/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee
@@ -241,3 +241,11 @@ describe "WorkspaceView", ->
       expect(atom.workspaceView.getActivePane().getItems()).toHaveLength 1
       atom.workspaceView.trigger('core:close')
       expect(atom.workspaceView.getActivePane().getItems()).toHaveLength 0
+
+  describe "the scrollbar visibility class", ->
+    it "has a class based on the style of the scrollbar", ->
+      scrollbarStyle = require 'scrollbar-style'
+      scrollbarStyle.emitValue 'legacy'
+      expect(atom.workspaceView).toHaveClass 'scrollbars-visible-always'
+      scrollbarStyle.emitValue 'overlay'
+      expect(atom.workspaceView).toHaveClass 'scrollbars-visible-when-scrolling'
diff --git a/src/workspace-view.coffee b/src/workspace-view.coffee
index 1ca57cfe7..4cd503cf9 100644
--- a/src/workspace-view.coffee
+++ b/src/workspace-view.coffee
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ path = require 'path'
 Q = require 'q'
 _ = require 'underscore-plus'
 Delegator = require 'delegato'
+scrollbarStyle = require 'scrollbar-style'
 {$, $$, View} = require './space-pen-extensions'
 fs = require 'fs-plus'
 Workspace = require './workspace'
@@ -81,6 +82,14 @@ class WorkspaceView extends View
 
     @subscribe @model, 'uri-opened', => @trigger 'uri-opened'
 
+    @subscribe scrollbarStyle, (style) =>
+      @removeClass('scrollbars-visible-always scrollbars-visible-when-scrolling')
+      switch style
+        when 'legacy'
+          @addClass("scrollbars-visible-always")
+        when 'overlay'
+          @addClass("scrollbars-visible-when-scrolling")
+
     @updateTitle()
 
     @on 'focus', (e) => @handleFocus(e)