diff --git a/io/config.cpp b/io/config.cpp
index 31d9fddfd..bd0882f68 100644
--- a/io/config.cpp
+++ b/io/config.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ Config::Config()
       drop_on_media_to_replace(true),
       autoscroll(AUTOSCROLL_PAGE_SCROLL),
       audio_rate(48000),
-      fast_seeking(false)
+      fast_seeking(false),
+      hover_focus(false)
 {}
 
 void Config::load(QString path) {
@@ -111,6 +112,9 @@ void Config::load(QString path) {
                 } else if (stream.name() == "FastSeeking") {
                     stream.readNext();
                     fast_seeking = (stream.text() == "1");
+                } else if (stream.name() == "HoverFocus") {
+                    stream.readNext();
+                    hover_focus = (stream.text() == "1");
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -158,6 +162,7 @@ void Config::save(QString path) {
     stream.writeTextElement("Autoscroll", QString::number(autoscroll));
     stream.writeTextElement("AudioRate", QString::number(audio_rate));
     stream.writeTextElement("FastSeeking", QString::number(fast_seeking));
+    stream.writeTextElement("HoverFocus", QString::number(hover_focus));
 
 	stream.writeEndElement(); // configuration
     stream.writeEndDocument(); // doc
diff --git a/io/config.h b/io/config.h
index 5bcb10447..4092204ff 100644
--- a/io/config.h
+++ b/io/config.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ struct Config {
     int autoscroll;
     int audio_rate;
     bool fast_seeking;
+    bool hover_focus;
 
     void load(QString path);
     void save(QString path);
diff --git a/mainwindow.cpp b/mainwindow.cpp
index cf3abec0e..7987b1e51 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -311,34 +311,33 @@ void MainWindow::on_actionSequence_triggered()
 	nsd.exec();
 }
 
-void MainWindow::on_actionZoom_In_triggered()
-{
-	if (panel_timeline->focused()) {
+void MainWindow::on_actionZoom_In_triggered() {
+    QDockWidget* focused_panel = get_focused_panel();
+    if (focused_panel == panel_timeline) {
         panel_timeline->set_zoom(true);
-	} else if (panel_effect_controls->keyframe_focus()) {
+    } else if (focused_panel == panel_effect_controls) {
 		panel_effect_controls->set_zoom(true);
-    } else if (panel_footage_viewer->is_focused()) {
+    } else if (focused_panel == panel_footage_viewer) {
         panel_footage_viewer->set_zoom(true);
-    } else if (panel_sequence_viewer->is_focused()) {
+    } else if (focused_panel == panel_sequence_viewer) {
         panel_sequence_viewer->set_zoom(true);
     }
 }
 
-void MainWindow::on_actionZoom_out_triggered()
-{
-	if (panel_timeline->focused()) {
+void MainWindow::on_actionZoom_out_triggered() {
+    QDockWidget* focused_panel = get_focused_panel();
+    if (focused_panel == panel_timeline) {
         panel_timeline->set_zoom(false);
-	} else if (panel_effect_controls->keyframe_focus()) {
+    } else if (focused_panel == panel_effect_controls) {
 		panel_effect_controls->set_zoom(false);
-    } else if (panel_footage_viewer->is_focused()) {
+    } else if (focused_panel == panel_footage_viewer) {
         panel_footage_viewer->set_zoom(false);
-    } else if (panel_sequence_viewer->is_focused()) {
+    } else if (focused_panel == panel_sequence_viewer) {
         panel_sequence_viewer->set_zoom(false);
     }
 }
 
-void MainWindow::on_actionExport_triggered()
-{
+void MainWindow::on_actionExport_triggered() {
     if (sequence == NULL) {
         QMessageBox::information(this, "No active sequence", "Please open the sequence you wish to export.", QMessageBox::Ok);
     } else {
@@ -400,9 +399,10 @@ void MainWindow::openSpeedDialog() {
 
 void MainWindow::cut() {
     if (sequence != NULL) {
-        if (panel_timeline->focused()) {
+        QDockWidget* focused_panel = get_focused_panel();
+        if (panel_timeline == focused_panel) {
             panel_timeline->copy(true);
-        } else if (panel_effect_controls->is_focused()) {
+        } else if (panel_effect_controls == focused_panel) {
             panel_effect_controls->copy(true);
         }
     }
@@ -410,16 +410,18 @@ void MainWindow::cut() {
 
 void MainWindow::copy() {
     if (sequence != NULL) {
-        if (panel_timeline->focused()) {
+        QDockWidget* focused_panel = get_focused_panel();
+        if (panel_timeline == focused_panel) {
             panel_timeline->copy(false);
-        } else if (panel_effect_controls->is_focused()) {
+        } else if (panel_effect_controls == focused_panel) {
             panel_effect_controls->copy(false);
         }
     }
 }
 
 void MainWindow::paste() {
-    if ((panel_timeline->focused() || panel_effect_controls->is_focused()) && sequence != NULL) {
+    QDockWidget* focused_panel = get_focused_panel();
+    if ((panel_timeline == focused_panel || panel_effect_controls == focused_panel) && sequence != NULL) {
         panel_timeline->paste(false);
     }
 }
@@ -708,6 +710,7 @@ void MainWindow::toolMenu_About_To_Be_Shown() {
 	ui->actionEnable_Seek_to_Import->setChecked(config.enable_seek_to_import);
     ui->actionAudio_Scrubbing->setChecked(config.enable_audio_scrubbing);
     ui->actionEnable_Drop_on_Media_to_Replace->setChecked(config.drop_on_media_to_replace);
+    ui->actionEnable_Hover_Focus->setChecked(config.hover_focus);
 
     ui->actionNo_autoscroll->setChecked(config.autoscroll == AUTOSCROLL_NO_SCROLL);
     ui->actionPage_Autoscroll->setChecked(config.autoscroll == AUTOSCROLL_PAGE_SCROLL);
@@ -1039,3 +1042,7 @@ void MainWindow::on_actionMilliseconds_triggered() {
     config.timecode_view = TIMECODE_MILLISECONDS;
     update_ui(false);
 }
+
+void MainWindow::on_actionEnable_Hover_Focus_triggered() {
+    config.hover_focus = !config.hover_focus;
+}
diff --git a/mainwindow.h b/mainwindow.h
index c2dd7bfb7..5908ccd6b 100644
--- a/mainwindow.h
+++ b/mainwindow.h
@@ -211,6 +211,8 @@ private slots:
 
     void on_actionMilliseconds_triggered();
 
+    void on_actionEnable_Hover_Focus_triggered();
+
 private:
 	Ui::MainWindow *ui;
     void setup_layout(bool reset);
diff --git a/mainwindow.ui b/mainwindow.ui
index b444a2a49..9e18008f4 100644
--- a/mainwindow.ui
+++ b/mainwindow.ui
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@
     <addaction name="actionEnable_Seek_to_Import"/>
     <addaction name="actionAudio_Scrubbing"/>
     <addaction name="actionEnable_Drop_on_Media_to_Replace"/>
+    <addaction name="actionEnable_Hover_Focus"/>
     <addaction name="separator"/>
     <addaction name="actionNo_autoscroll"/>
     <addaction name="actionPage_Autoscroll"/>
@@ -925,6 +926,14 @@
     <string>Milliseconds</string>
    </property>
   </action>
+  <action name="actionEnable_Hover_Focus">
+   <property name="checkable">
+    <bool>true</bool>
+   </property>
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>Enable Hover Focus for Zooming</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
  </widget>
  <layoutdefault spacing="6" margin="11"/>
  <resources/>
diff --git a/panels/panels.cpp b/panels/panels.cpp
index 6f6396b9b..4efe6de21 100644
--- a/panels/panels.cpp
+++ b/panels/panels.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "project/sequence.h"
 #include "project/clip.h"
 #include "project/transition.h"
+#include "io/config.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 
 Project* panel_project = 0;
@@ -105,3 +106,34 @@ void update_ui(bool modified) {
 	panel_timeline->repaint_timeline();
 	panel_sequence_viewer->update_viewer();
 }
+
+QDockWidget *get_focused_panel() {
+    QDockWidget* w = NULL;
+    if (config.hover_focus) {
+        if (panel_project->rect().contains(panel_project->mapFromGlobal(QCursor::pos()))) {
+            w = panel_project;
+        } else if (panel_effect_controls->rect().contains(panel_effect_controls->mapFromGlobal(QCursor::pos()))) {
+            w = panel_effect_controls;
+        } else if (panel_sequence_viewer->rect().contains(panel_sequence_viewer->mapFromGlobal(QCursor::pos()))) {
+            w = panel_sequence_viewer;
+        } else if (panel_footage_viewer->rect().contains(panel_footage_viewer->mapFromGlobal(QCursor::pos()))) {
+            w = panel_footage_viewer;
+        } else if (panel_timeline->rect().contains(panel_timeline->mapFromGlobal(QCursor::pos()))) {
+            w = panel_timeline;
+        }
+    }
+    if (w == NULL) {
+        if (panel_project->is_focused()) {
+            w = panel_project;
+        } else if (panel_effect_controls->keyframe_focus()) {
+            w = panel_effect_controls;
+        } else if (panel_sequence_viewer->is_focused()) {
+            w = panel_sequence_viewer;
+        } else if (panel_footage_viewer->is_focused()) {
+            w = panel_footage_viewer;
+        } else if (panel_timeline->focused()) {
+            w = panel_timeline;
+        }
+    }
+    return w;
+}
diff --git a/panels/panels.h b/panels/panels.h
index 1be614a5d..042a652d8 100644
--- a/panels/panels.h
+++ b/panels/panels.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ class Project;
 class EffectControls;
 class Viewer;
 class Timeline;
+class QDockWidget;
 
 extern Project* panel_project;
 extern EffectControls* panel_effect_controls;
@@ -13,5 +14,6 @@ extern Viewer* panel_footage_viewer;
 extern Timeline* panel_timeline;
 
 void update_ui(bool modified);
+QDockWidget* get_focused_panel();
 
 #endif // PANELS_H
diff --git a/panels/viewer.cpp b/panels/viewer.cpp
index 6cfc2dc86..755da67a8 100644
--- a/panels/viewer.cpp
+++ b/panels/viewer.cpp
@@ -416,17 +416,19 @@ void Viewer::set_out_point() {
 }
 
 void Viewer::set_zoom(bool in) {
-    if (in) {
-        ui->headers->update_zoom(ui->headers->get_zoom()*2);
-    } else {
-        ui->headers->update_zoom(qMax(minimum_zoom, ui->headers->get_zoom()*0.5));
+    if (seq != NULL) {
+        if (in) {
+            ui->headers->update_zoom(ui->headers->get_zoom()*2);
+        } else {
+            ui->headers->update_zoom(qMax(minimum_zoom, ui->headers->get_zoom()*0.5));
+        }
+        if (ui->openGLWidget->waveform) {
+            ui->openGLWidget->waveform_zoom = ui->headers->get_zoom();
+            ui->openGLWidget->update();
+        }
+        ui->headers->set_scrollbar_max(ui->horizontalScrollBar, seq->getEndFrame(), ui->headers->width());
+        center_scroll_to_playhead(ui->horizontalScrollBar, ui->headers->get_zoom(), seq->playhead);
     }
-    if (ui->openGLWidget->waveform) {
-        ui->openGLWidget->waveform_zoom = ui->headers->get_zoom();
-        ui->openGLWidget->update();
-    }
-    ui->headers->set_scrollbar_max(ui->horizontalScrollBar, seq->getEndFrame(), ui->headers->width());
-    center_scroll_to_playhead(ui->horizontalScrollBar, ui->headers->get_zoom(), seq->playhead);
 }
 
 void Viewer::set_media(Media* m) {