diff --git a/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py b/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
index 753864a3..4a2c479c 100644
--- a/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
+++ b/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
@@ -2274,7 +2274,7 @@ class MyForm(settingsmixin.SMainWindow):
                         self.ui.comboBoxSendFrom.setCurrentIndex(0)
                         self.ui.lineEditTo.setText('')
                         self.ui.lineEditSubject.setText('')
-                        self.ui.textEditMessage.setText('')
+                        self.ui.textEditMessage.reset()
                         if self.replyFromTab is not None:
                             self.ui.tabWidget.setCurrentIndex(self.replyFromTab)
                             self.replyFromTab = None
@@ -2324,7 +2324,7 @@ class MyForm(settingsmixin.SMainWindow):
 
                 self.ui.comboBoxSendFromBroadcast.setCurrentIndex(0)
                 self.ui.lineEditSubjectBroadcast.setText('')
-                self.ui.textEditMessageBroadcast.setText('')
+                self.ui.textEditMessageBroadcast.reset()
                 self.ui.tabWidget.setCurrentIndex(1)
                 self.ui.tableWidgetInboxSubscriptions.setCurrentCell(0, 0)
                 self.statusBar().showMessage(_translate(
diff --git a/src/bitmessageqt/bitmessageui.py b/src/bitmessageqt/bitmessageui.py
index 25cb178e..b50fd3fe 100644
--- a/src/bitmessageqt/bitmessageui.py
+++ b/src/bitmessageqt/bitmessageui.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui
 from messageview import MessageView
+from messagecompose import MessageCompose
 import settingsmixin
 
 try:
@@ -232,7 +233,7 @@ class Ui_MainWindow(object):
         self.gridLayout_2_Widget = QtGui.QWidget()
         self.gridLayout_2_Widget.setLayout(self.gridLayout_2)
         self.verticalSplitter_5.addWidget(self.gridLayout_2_Widget)
-        self.textEditMessage = QtGui.QTextEdit(self.sendDirect)
+        self.textEditMessage = MessageCompose(self.sendDirect)
         self.textEditMessage.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("textEditMessage"))
         self.verticalSplitter_5.addWidget(self.textEditMessage)
         self.verticalSplitter_5.setStretchFactor(0, 0)
@@ -268,7 +269,7 @@ class Ui_MainWindow(object):
         self.gridLayout_5_Widget = QtGui.QWidget()
         self.gridLayout_5_Widget.setLayout(self.gridLayout_5)
         self.verticalSplitter_6.addWidget(self.gridLayout_5_Widget)
-        self.textEditMessageBroadcast = QtGui.QTextEdit(self.sendBroadcast)
+        self.textEditMessageBroadcast = MessageCompose(self.sendBroadcast)
         self.textEditMessageBroadcast.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("textEditMessageBroadcast"))
         self.verticalSplitter_6.addWidget(self.textEditMessageBroadcast)
         self.verticalSplitter_6.setStretchFactor(0, 0)
diff --git a/src/bitmessageqt/messagecompose.py b/src/bitmessageqt/messagecompose.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5718aa32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bitmessageqt/messagecompose.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui
+
+class MessageCompose(QtGui.QTextEdit):
+    
+    def __init__(self, parent = 0):
+        super(MessageCompose, self).__init__(parent)
+        self.setAcceptRichText(False) # we'll deal with this later when we have a new message format
+        self.defaultFontPointSize = self.currentFont().pointSize()
+    
+    def wheelEvent(self, event):
+        if (QtGui.QApplication.queryKeyboardModifiers() & QtCore.Qt.ControlModifier) == QtCore.Qt.ControlModifier and event.orientation() == QtCore.Qt.Vertical:
+            numDegrees = event.delta() / 8
+            numSteps = numDegrees / 15
+            zoomDiff = numSteps + self.currentFont().pointSize() - self.defaultFontPointSize
+            if numSteps > 0:
+                self.zoomIn(numSteps)
+            else:
+                self.zoomOut(-numSteps)
+            QtGui.QApplication.activeWindow().statusBar().showMessage(QtGui.QApplication.translate("MainWindow", "Zoom level %1").arg(str(zoomDiff)))
+        # super will actually automatically take care of zooming
+        super(MessageCompose, self).wheelEvent(event)
+
+    def reset(self):
+        self.setText('')