diff --git a/release-notes.txt b/release-notes.txt
index 50b18faf58..dfc4f74611 100644
--- a/release-notes.txt
+++ b/release-notes.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
    zoom in and out.  If ALT is added, it zooms further.  Thanks to
    Karsten Hokamp for the excellent suggestion.
 
+ * Holding SHIFT while scrolling with the arrow keys causes the view
+   to scroll further.
+
  * Added a `theme` configuration variable to allow changing the
    graphical theme to something different from the default "tundra".
    However, no other themes are implemented yet.
diff --git a/src/JBrowse/GenomeView.js b/src/JBrowse/GenomeView.js
index 72f1eba167..bcafd2bc8f 100644
--- a/src/JBrowse/GenomeView.js
+++ b/src/JBrowse/GenomeView.js
@@ -420,7 +420,11 @@ GenomeView.prototype._behaviors = function() { return {
 
                     var that = this;
                     if( evt.keyCode == dojo.keys.LEFT_ARROW || evt.keyCode == dojo.keys.RIGHT_ARROW ) {
+
                         var offset = evt.keyCode == dojo.keys.LEFT_ARROW ? -40 : 40;
+                        if( evt.shiftKey )
+                            offset *= 5;
+
                         this.setX( this.getX() + offset );
                         if( ! this._keySlideTimeout )
                             this._keySlideTimeout = window.setTimeout(function() {