diff --git a/src/jquery.mousewheel.js b/src/jquery.mousewheel.js
index 5a7e1bd43..5bf9a514a 100644
--- a/src/jquery.mousewheel.js
+++ b/src/jquery.mousewheel.js
@@ -36,7 +36,21 @@
 		version: "@VERSION",
 
 		setup: function() {
-			this.addEventListener( "wheel", handler, false );
+			// Use passive event listeners if supported
+			var passiveSupported = false;
+			try {
+				var opts = Object.defineProperty({}, "passive", {
+					get: function() {
+						passiveSupported = true;
+					}
+				});
+				window.addEventListener("test", null, opts);
+			} catch (e) {}
+			this.addEventListener(
+				"wheel",
+				handler,
+				passiveSupported ? { passive: true } : false
+			);
 
 			// Store the line height and page height for this particular element
 			$.data( this, "mousewheel-line-height", special.getLineHeight( this ) );
@@ -44,7 +58,21 @@
 		},
 
 		teardown: function() {
-			this.removeEventListener( "wheel", handler, false );
+			// Use passive event listeners if supported
+			var passiveSupported = false;
+			try {
+				var opts = Object.defineProperty({}, "passive", {
+					get: function() {
+						passiveSupported = true;
+					}
+				});
+				window.addEventListener("test", null, opts);
+			} catch (e) {}
+			this.removeEventListener(
+				"wheel",
+				handler,
+				passiveSupported ? { passive: true } : false
+			);
 
 			// Clean up the data we added to the element
 			$.removeData( this, "mousewheel-line-height" );