diff --git a/webrender/src/frame.rs b/webrender/src/frame.rs
index 67e2abe192..2db9384895 100644
--- a/webrender/src/frame.rs
+++ b/webrender/src/frame.rs
@@ -352,9 +352,44 @@ impl Frame {
             (_, _, None) => return false,
         };
 
-        let scroll_root_id = match scroll_layer_id.info {
-            ScrollLayerInfo::Scrollable(_, scroll_root_id) => scroll_root_id,
-            ScrollLayerInfo::Fixed => unreachable!("Tried to scroll a fixed position layer."),
+        let non_root_overscroll = if scroll_layer_id != root_scroll_layer_id {
+            // true if the current layer is overscrolling,
+            // and it is not the root scroll layer.
+            let child_layer = self.layers.get(&scroll_layer_id).unwrap();
+            let overscroll_amount = child_layer.overscroll_amount();
+            overscroll_amount.width != 0.0 || overscroll_amount.height != 0.0
+        } else {
+            false
+        };
+
+        let switch_layer = match phase {
+            ScrollEventPhase::Start => {
+                // if this is a new gesture, we do not switch layer,
+                // however we do save the state of non_root_overscroll,
+                // for use in the subsequent Move phase.
+                let mut current_layer = self.layers.get_mut(&scroll_layer_id).unwrap();
+                current_layer.scrolling.should_handoff_scroll = non_root_overscroll;
+                false
+            },
+            ScrollEventPhase::Move(_) => {
+                // Switch layer if movement originated in a new gesture,
+                // from a non root layer in overscroll.
+                let current_layer = self.layers.get_mut(&scroll_layer_id).unwrap();
+                current_layer.scrolling.should_handoff_scroll && non_root_overscroll
+            },
+            ScrollEventPhase::End => {
+                // clean-up when gesture ends.
+                let mut current_layer = self.layers.get_mut(&scroll_layer_id).unwrap();
+                current_layer.scrolling.should_handoff_scroll = false;
+                false
+            },
+        };
+
+        let scroll_root_id = match (switch_layer, scroll_layer_id.info, root_scroll_layer_id.info) {
+            (true, _, ScrollLayerInfo::Scrollable(_, scroll_root_id)) |
+            (true, ScrollLayerInfo::Scrollable(_, scroll_root_id), ScrollLayerInfo::Fixed) |
+            (false, ScrollLayerInfo::Scrollable(_, scroll_root_id), _) => scroll_root_id,
+            (_, ScrollLayerInfo::Fixed, _) => unreachable!("Tried to scroll a fixed position layer."),
         };
 
         let mut scrolled_a_layer = false;
diff --git a/webrender/src/layer.rs b/webrender/src/layer.rs
index f16509620e..985420ef59 100644
--- a/webrender/src/layer.rs
+++ b/webrender/src/layer.rs
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ pub struct ScrollingState {
     pub spring: Spring,
     pub started_bouncing_back: bool,
     pub bouncing_back: bool,
+    pub should_handoff_scroll: bool
 }
 
 impl ScrollingState {
@@ -137,6 +138,7 @@ impl ScrollingState {
             spring: Spring::at(LayerPoint::zero(), STIFFNESS, DAMPING),
             started_bouncing_back: false,
             bouncing_back: false,
+            should_handoff_scroll: false
         }
     }
 }