diff --git a/spec/workspace-element-spec.coffee b/spec/workspace-element-spec.coffee
index efb1d1b26..cfe21cb18 100644
--- a/spec/workspace-element-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/workspace-element-spec.coffee
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ describe "WorkspaceElement", ->
       expect(workspaceElement).toHaveClass 'scrollbars-visible-when-scrolling'
 
   describe "editor font styling", ->
-    [editor, editorElement] = []
+    [editor, editorElement, workspaceElement] = []
 
     beforeEach ->
       waitsForPromise -> atom.workspace.open('sample.js')
@@ -63,6 +63,44 @@ describe "WorkspaceElement", ->
       expect(getComputedStyle(editorElement).lineHeight).toBe atom.config.get('editor.lineHeight')
       expect(editor.getLineHeightInPixels()).not.toBe initialLineHeight
 
+    it "increases or decreases the font size when a ctrl-mousewheel event occurs", ->
+      atom.config.set('editor.zoomFontWhenCtrlScrolling', true)
+      atom.config.set('editor.fontSize', 12)
+
+      # Zoom out
+      editorElement.dispatchEvent(new WheelEvent('mousewheel', {
+        wheelDeltaY: -10,
+        ctrlKey: true
+      }))
+      expect(atom.config.get('editor.fontSize')).toBe(11)
+
+      # Zoom in
+      editorElement.dispatchEvent(new WheelEvent('mousewheel', {
+        wheelDeltaY: 10,
+        ctrlKey: true
+      }))
+      expect(atom.config.get('editor.fontSize')).toBe(12)
+
+      # Not on an atom-text-editor
+      workspaceElement.dispatchEvent(new WheelEvent('mousewheel', {
+        wheelDeltaY: 10,
+        ctrlKey: true
+      }))
+      expect(atom.config.get('editor.fontSize')).toBe(12)
+
+      # No ctrl key
+      workspaceElement.dispatchEvent(new WheelEvent('mousewheel', {
+        wheelDeltaY: 10,
+      }))
+      expect(atom.config.get('editor.fontSize')).toBe(12)
+
+      atom.config.set('editor.zoomFontWhenCtrlScrolling', false)
+      editorElement.dispatchEvent(new WheelEvent('mousewheel', {
+        wheelDeltaY: 10,
+        ctrlKey: true
+      }))
+      expect(atom.config.get('editor.fontSize')).toBe(12)
+
   describe 'panel containers', ->
     it 'inserts panel container elements in the correct places in the DOM', ->
       workspaceElement = atom.views.getView(atom.workspace)
diff --git a/src/text-editor-component.coffee b/src/text-editor-component.coffee
index 5a6f1bde0..2786e321e 100644
--- a/src/text-editor-component.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor-component.coffee
@@ -392,15 +392,6 @@ class TextEditorComponent
     # Only scroll in one direction at a time
     {wheelDeltaX, wheelDeltaY} = event
 
-    # Ctrl+MouseWheel adjusts font size.
-    if event.ctrlKey and @config.get('editor.zoomFontWhenCtrlScrolling')
-      if wheelDeltaY > 0
-        @workspace.increaseFontSize()
-      else if wheelDeltaY < 0
-        @workspace.decreaseFontSize()
-      event.preventDefault()
-      return
-
     if Math.abs(wheelDeltaX) > Math.abs(wheelDeltaY)
       # Scrolling horizontally
       previousScrollLeft = @presenter.getScrollLeft()
diff --git a/src/workspace-element.coffee b/src/workspace-element.coffee
index c604f62b1..2435c94bf 100644
--- a/src/workspace-element.coffee
+++ b/src/workspace-element.coffee
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ class WorkspaceElement extends HTMLElement
     @verticalAxis.appendChild(@paneContainer)
     @addEventListener 'focus', @handleFocus.bind(this)
 
+    @addEventListener 'mousewheel', @handleMousewheel.bind(this), true
+
     @panelContainers =
       top: @views.getView(@model.panelContainers.top)
       left: @views.getView(@model.panelContainers.left)
@@ -100,6 +102,15 @@ class WorkspaceElement extends HTMLElement
 
   getModel: -> @model
 
+  handleMousewheel: (event) ->
+    if event.ctrlKey and @config.get('editor.zoomFontWhenCtrlScrolling') and event.target.matches('atom-text-editor')
+      if event.wheelDeltaY > 0
+        @model.increaseFontSize()
+      else if event.wheelDeltaY < 0
+        @model.decreaseFontSize()
+      event.preventDefault()
+      event.stopPropagation()
+
   handleFocus: (event) ->
     @model.getActivePane().activate()