diff --git a/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.cpp b/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.cpp
index d967e2305d..e0802c6bc5 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.cpp
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ void ChatWindow::addTimeStamp() {
         timeLabel->setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Expanding, QSizePolicy::Preferred);
         timeLabel->setAlignment(Qt::AlignLeft);
 
-        bool atBottom = isAtBottom();
+        bool atBottom = isNearBottom();
 
         ui->messagesVBoxLayout->addWidget(timeLabel);
         ui->messagesVBoxLayout->parentWidget()->updateGeometry();
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ void ChatWindow::messageReceived(const QXmppMessage& message) {
     messageText = messageText.replace(regexHifiLinks, "<a href=\"hifi://\\1\">\\1</a>");
     messageArea->setHtml(userLabel + messageText);
 
-    bool atBottom = isAtBottom();
+    bool atBottom = isNearBottom();
 
     ui->messagesVBoxLayout->addWidget(messageArea);
     ui->messagesVBoxLayout->parentWidget()->updateGeometry();
@@ -308,13 +308,13 @@ void ChatWindow::messageReceived(const QXmppMessage& message) {
 
 #endif
 
-bool ChatWindow::isAtBottom() {
+bool ChatWindow::isNearBottom() {
     QScrollBar* verticalScrollBar = ui->messagesScrollArea->verticalScrollBar();
-    return verticalScrollBar->sliderPosition() == verticalScrollBar->maximum();
+    return verticalScrollBar->value() >= verticalScrollBar->maximum() - Ui::AUTO_SCROLL_THRESHOLD;
 }
 
 // Scroll chat message area to bottom.
 void ChatWindow::scrollToBottom() {
     QScrollBar* verticalScrollBar = ui->messagesScrollArea->verticalScrollBar();
-    verticalScrollBar->setSliderPosition(verticalScrollBar->maximum());
+    verticalScrollBar->setValue(verticalScrollBar->maximum());
 }
diff --git a/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.h b/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.h
index 399c9e917c..104fbe1746 100644
--- a/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.h
+++ b/interface/src/ui/ChatWindow.h
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@
 #endif
 
 namespace Ui {
+
+
+// Maximum amount the chat can be scrolled up in order to auto scroll.
+const int AUTO_SCROLL_THRESHOLD = 20;
+
+
 class ChatWindow;
 }
 
@@ -49,7 +55,7 @@ private:
 #endif
     void startTimerForTimeStamps();
     void addTimeStamp();
-    bool isAtBottom();
+    bool isNearBottom();
     void scrollToBottom();
 
     Ui::ChatWindow* ui;