diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg_core.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg_core.py
index 8f971600d040..c977973f228c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg_core.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_webagg_core.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def handle_event(self, event):
         elif e_type == 'draw':
             self.draw()
         elif e_type in ('button_press', 'button_release', 'motion_notify',
-                        'figure_enter', 'figure_leave'):
+                        'figure_enter', 'figure_leave', 'scroll'):
             x = event['x']
             y = event['y']
             y = self.get_renderer().height - y
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ def handle_event(self, event):
                 self.enter_notify_event(xy=(x, y))
             elif e_type == 'figure_leave':
                 self.leave_notify_event()
+            elif e_type == 'scroll':
+                self.scroll_event(x, y, event['step'])
         elif e_type in ('key_press', 'key_release'):
             key = event['key']
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js b/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js
index a98047edbfdd..086fc0f31bd8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/mpl.js
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ mpl.figure.prototype._init_header = function() {
     this.header = titletext[0];
 }
 
+
+
 mpl.figure.prototype._canvas_extra_style = function(canvas_div) {
 
 }
@@ -143,6 +145,17 @@ mpl.figure.prototype._init_canvas = function() {
     rubberband.mouseenter('figure_enter', mouse_event_fn);
     rubberband.mouseleave('figure_leave', mouse_event_fn);
 
+    canvas_div.on("wheel", function (event) {
+        event = event.originalEvent;
+        event['data'] = 'scroll'
+        if (event.deltaY < 0) {
+            event.step = 1;
+        } else {
+            event.step = -1;
+        }
+        mouse_event_fn(event);
+    });
+
     canvas_div.append(canvas);
     canvas_div.append(rubberband);
 
@@ -168,6 +181,7 @@ mpl.figure.prototype._init_canvas = function() {
     // upon first draw.
     this._resize_canvas(600, 600);
 
+
     function set_focus () {
         canvas.focus();
         canvas_div.focus();
@@ -425,7 +439,8 @@ mpl.figure.prototype.mouse_event = function(event, name) {
     var x = canvas_pos.x;
     var y = canvas_pos.y;
 
-    this.send_message(name, {x: x, y: y, button: event.button});
+    this.send_message(name, {x: x, y: y, button: event.button,
+                             step: event.step});
 
     /* This prevents the web browser from automatically changing to
      * the text insertion cursor when the button is pressed.  We want
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/nbagg_uat.ipynb b/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/nbagg_uat.ipynb
index 488b0279defe..9e795319bc81 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/nbagg_uat.ipynb
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/web_backend/nbagg_uat.ipynb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
  "metadata": {
   "name": "",
-  "signature": "sha256:43daeaae8ae9fd496fc33d7a64639194bc009b755d28c23cd6329f225628197c"
+  "signature": "sha256:7f7ec6a6e2a63837a45a88a501ba3c5b1eb88e744925456a9bfeb0d6faa896a5"
  },
  "nbformat": 3,
  "nbformat_minor": 0,
@@ -400,9 +400,9 @@
      "cell_type": "markdown",
      "metadata": {},
      "source": [
-      "### UAT 16 - key events\n",
+      "### UAT 16 - Events\n",
       "\n",
-      "Pressing any keyboard key or mouse button should cycle the line line while the figure has focus.  The figure should have focus by default when it is created and re-gain it by clicking on the canvas.  Clicking anywhere outside of the figure should release focus, but moving the mouse out of the figure should not release focus."
+      "Pressing any keyboard key or mouse button (or scrolling) should cycle the line line while the figure has focus.  The figure should have focus by default when it is created and re-gain it by clicking on the canvas.  Clicking anywhere outside of the figure should release focus, but moving the mouse out of the figure should not release focus."
      ]
     },
     {
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@
       "    fig.canvas.draw_idle()\n",
       "fig.canvas.mpl_connect('button_press_event', on_event)\n",
       "fig.canvas.mpl_connect('key_press_event', on_event)\n",
+      "fig.canvas.mpl_connect('scroll_event', on_event)\n",
       "plt.show()"
      ],
      "language": "python",