diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
index d6819dfd6..4e8a0a73e 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 #include "clutter/x11/clutter-x11.h"
 #include "compositor/compositor-private.h"
 #include "core/display-private.h"
+#include "core/keybindings-private.h"
 #include "meta/meta-cursor-tracker.h"
 #include "meta/util.h"
 
@@ -425,6 +426,12 @@ handle_host_xevent (MetaBackend *backend,
                     meta_backend_notify_keymap_layout_group_changed (backend,
                                                                      layout_group);
                 }
+              if (display &&
+                  (xkb_ev->state.changed & (XkbModifierStateMask |
+                                            XkbModifierBaseMask)))
+                meta_display_process_zoom_modifier_state (display,
+                                                          xkb_ev->state.mods,
+                                                          xkb_ev->state.time);
               break;
             default:
               break;
@@ -580,6 +587,14 @@ meta_backend_x11_post_init (MetaBackend *backend)
     meta_fatal ("X server doesn't have the XKB extension, version %d.%d or newer\n",
                 XKB_X11_MIN_MAJOR_XKB_VERSION, XKB_X11_MIN_MINOR_XKB_VERSION);
 
+  /* Make sure modifier state changes are among the selected
+   * XkbStateNotify details; the zoom modifier pointer grab depends on
+   * them (see meta_display_process_zoom_modifier_state).  Only the
+   * listed detail bits are affected, existing selections remain. */
+  XkbSelectEventDetails (priv->xdisplay, XkbUseCoreKbd, XkbStateNotify,
+                         XkbModifierStateMask | XkbModifierBaseMask,
+                         XkbModifierStateMask | XkbModifierBaseMask);
+
   META_BACKEND_CLASS (meta_backend_x11_parent_class)->post_init (backend);
 
   monitor_manager = meta_backend_get_monitor_manager (backend);
diff --git a/src/core/events.c b/src/core/events.c
index 1ae1e933e..d704e3806 100644
--- a/src/core/events.c
+++ b/src/core/events.c
@@ -291,11 +291,24 @@ meta_display_handle_event (MetaDisplay        *display,
             meta_display_a11y_zoom (display, FALSE);
           }
 
+        /* Don't let the zoom modifier's release trigger a
+         * modifier-only keybinding (e.g. Super opening the menu) */
+        meta_keybindings_cancel_modifier_only (display);
+
+        /* On X11, hold the pointer for the duration of the scroll burst
+         * so smooth-scroll events can't leak to the client under the
+         * pointer. */
+        meta_display_zoom_scroll_grab_notify (display,
+                                              clutter_event_get_time (event));
+
         bypass_wayland = bypass_clutter = TRUE;
         goto out;
       }
     }
 
+  if (event->type == CLUTTER_BUTTON_PRESS)
+    meta_display_zoom_grab_break (display, clutter_event_get_time (event));
+
   if (event->type != CLUTTER_DEVICE_ADDED &&
       event->type != CLUTTER_DEVICE_REMOVED)
     {
diff --git a/src/core/keybindings-private.h b/src/core/keybindings-private.h
index 0e3586869..1dfbda162 100644
--- a/src/core/keybindings-private.h
+++ b/src/core/keybindings-private.h
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ typedef struct
   /* Alt+click button grabs */
   ClutterModifierType window_grab_modifiers;
   ClutterModifierType mouse_zoom_modifiers;
+
+  /* Active pointer grab held during zoom scroll bursts (X11) */
+  gboolean zoom_pointer_grabbed;
+  guint zoom_grab_timeout_id;
 } MetaKeyBindingManager;
 
 void     meta_display_init_keys             (MetaDisplay *display);
@@ -144,6 +148,15 @@ int      meta_keybindings_get_mouse_zoom_modifiers (MetaDisplay *display);
 ClutterModifierType meta_display_get_window_grab_modifiers (MetaDisplay *display);
 
 uint     meta_keybindings_get_ignored_modifier_mask (MetaDisplay *display);
+void     meta_keybindings_cancel_modifier_only (MetaDisplay *display);
+
+void     meta_display_process_zoom_modifier_state (MetaDisplay *display,
+                                                   unsigned int mods,
+                                                   guint32      timestamp);
+void     meta_display_zoom_scroll_grab_notify (MetaDisplay *display,
+                                               guint32      timestamp);
+void     meta_display_zoom_grab_break (MetaDisplay *display,
+                                       guint32      timestamp);
 
 gboolean meta_prefs_add_keybinding          (const char           *name,
                                              GSettings            *settings,
diff --git a/src/core/keybindings.c b/src/core/keybindings.c
index 4a8a9a495..9b8ab3981 100644
--- a/src/core/keybindings.c
+++ b/src/core/keybindings.c
@@ -1503,6 +1503,12 @@ meta_display_shutdown_keys (MetaDisplay *display)
   g_hash_table_destroy (keys->key_bindings_index);
   g_hash_table_destroy (keys->key_bindings);
 
+  if (keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id != 0)
+    {
+      g_source_remove (keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id);
+      keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id = 0;
+    }
+
   clear_active_keyboard_layouts (keys);
 }
 
@@ -2474,6 +2480,7 @@ meta_keybindings_process_event (MetaDisplay        *display,
     case CLUTTER_BUTTON_RELEASE:
     case CLUTTER_TOUCH_BEGIN:
     case CLUTTER_TOUCH_END:
+    case CLUTTER_SCROLL:
       modifier_key_only_pressed = FALSE;
       return FALSE;
 
@@ -4207,6 +4214,110 @@ meta_keybindings_get_ignored_modifier_mask (MetaDisplay *display)
     return keys->ignored_modifier_mask;
 }
 
+void
+meta_keybindings_cancel_modifier_only (MetaDisplay *display)
+{
+  modifier_key_only_pressed = FALSE;
+}
+
+#define ZOOM_SCROLL_GRAB_TIMEOUT_MS 1000
+
+/* While zoom scrolling is in progress on X11 we hold an active grab on
+ * the pointer.  The passive button 4/5 grabs only intercept the emulated
+ * legacy scroll button events; XInput2-aware clients scroll with the
+ * smooth-scroll XI_Motion events, which are delivered before any passive
+ * button grab can activate.  Only an active device grab keeps them from
+ * reaching the client under the pointer.
+ *
+ * The grab is only held for the duration of a scroll burst (released on
+ * a short idle timeout, on a button press, or when the zoom modifier is
+ * released) so that modifier+click interactions keep working.  A click
+ * swallowed by the grab cannot be re-injected: the physical press has
+ * already registered in the master device's button state, so a synthetic
+ * press is discarded as a duplicate.
+ */
+
+void
+meta_display_zoom_grab_break (MetaDisplay *display,
+                              guint32      timestamp)
+{
+  MetaKeyBindingManager *keys = &display->key_binding_manager;
+
+  if (keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id != 0)
+    {
+      g_source_remove (keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id);
+      keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id = 0;
+    }
+
+  if (!keys->zoom_pointer_grabbed)
+    return;
+
+  /* If a compositor or window grab took over in the meantime, our
+   * grab was already replaced; ungrabbing would break theirs. */
+  if (display->event_route == META_EVENT_ROUTE_NORMAL)
+    meta_backend_ungrab_device (keys->backend,
+                                META_VIRTUAL_CORE_POINTER_ID,
+                                timestamp);
+  keys->zoom_pointer_grabbed = FALSE;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+zoom_scroll_grab_timeout (gpointer data)
+{
+  MetaDisplay *display = data;
+  MetaKeyBindingManager *keys = &display->key_binding_manager;
+
+  keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id = 0;
+  meta_display_zoom_grab_break (display, META_CURRENT_TIME);
+  return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
+}
+
+void
+meta_display_zoom_scroll_grab_notify (MetaDisplay *display,
+                                      guint32      timestamp)
+{
+  MetaKeyBindingManager *keys = &display->key_binding_manager;
+
+  if (meta_is_wayland_compositor ())
+    return;
+
+  if (!keys->zoom_pointer_grabbed &&
+      display->event_route == META_EVENT_ROUTE_NORMAL &&
+      display->grab_op == META_GRAB_OP_NONE)
+    {
+      keys->zoom_pointer_grabbed =
+        meta_backend_grab_device (keys->backend,
+                                  META_VIRTUAL_CORE_POINTER_ID,
+                                  timestamp);
+    }
+
+  if (keys->zoom_pointer_grabbed)
+    {
+      if (keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id != 0)
+        g_source_remove (keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id);
+      keys->zoom_grab_timeout_id = g_timeout_add (ZOOM_SCROLL_GRAB_TIMEOUT_MS,
+                                                  zoom_scroll_grab_timeout,
+                                                  display);
+    }
+}
+
+/* Called on XkbStateNotify: release the scroll grab as soon as the zoom
+ * modifier is no longer held. */
+void
+meta_display_process_zoom_modifier_state (MetaDisplay *display,
+                                          unsigned int mods,
+                                          guint32      timestamp)
+{
+  MetaKeyBindingManager *keys = &display->key_binding_manager;
+
+  if (!keys->zoom_pointer_grabbed)
+    return;
+
+  if ((mods & ~keys->ignored_modifier_mask) != keys->mouse_zoom_modifiers)
+    meta_display_zoom_grab_break (display, timestamp);
+}
+
+
 static void
 init_builtin_key_bindings (MetaDisplay *display)
 {