diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index dbfb7a30a..50d398b7c 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -2340,7 +2340,8 @@ but also exit copy mode if the cursor reaches the bottom.
 .It Xo
 .Ic scroll\-exit\-on
 .Xc
-Turn on exiting copy mode when scrolling to the end of the buffer.
+Turn on exiting copy mode when scrolling to the end of the buffer, unless a
+selection is present.
 .It Xo
 .Ic scroll\-exit\-off
 .Xc
@@ -2617,6 +2618,7 @@ instead of
 .Fl e
 specifies that scrolling to the bottom of the history (to the visible screen)
 should exit copy mode.
+This will not happen if a selection is present.
 While in copy mode, pressing a key other than those used for scrolling will
 disable this behaviour.
 This is intended to allow fast scrolling through a pane's history, for
diff --git a/window-copy.c b/window-copy.c
index aedbba99b..33743cea3 100644
--- a/window-copy.c
+++ b/window-copy.c
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@ window_copy_scroll1(struct window_mode_entry *wme, struct window_pane *wp,
 			window_copy_cursor_end_of_line(wme);
 	}
 
-	if (scroll_exit && data->oy == 0) {
+	if (scroll_exit && data->oy == 0 && data->screen.sel == NULL) {
 		window_pane_reset_mode(wp);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ window_copy_pagedown1(struct window_mode_entry *wme, int half_page,
 			window_copy_cursor_end_of_line(wme);
 	}
 
-	if (scroll_exit && data->oy == 0)
+	if (scroll_exit && data->oy == 0 && data->screen.sel == NULL)
 		return (1);
 	if (data->searchmark != NULL && !data->timeout)
 		window_copy_search_marks(wme, NULL, data->searchregex, 1);
@@ -2352,7 +2352,7 @@ window_copy_cmd_scroll_down(struct window_copy_cmd_state *cs)
 
 	for (; np != 0; np--)
 		window_copy_cursor_down(wme, 1);
-	if (data->scroll_exit && data->oy == 0)
+	if (data->scroll_exit && data->oy == 0 && data->screen.sel == NULL)
 		return (WINDOW_COPY_CMD_CANCEL);
 	return (WINDOW_COPY_CMD_NOTHING);
 }