diff --git a/ui/thumbnaillist.cpp b/ui/thumbnaillist.cpp
index 7e6cb9238..abe35c442 100644
--- a/ui/thumbnaillist.cpp
+++ b/ui/thumbnaillist.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ ThumbnailList::ThumbnailList( QWidget *parent, Okular::Document *document )
     // set scrollbars
     setHorizontalScrollBarPolicy( Qt::ScrollBarAlwaysOff );
     setVerticalScrollBarPolicy( Qt::ScrollBarAlwaysOn );
+    verticalScrollBar()->setEnabled( false );
 
     setAttribute( Qt::WA_StaticContents );
 
@@ -182,6 +183,9 @@ void ThumbnailList::notifySetup( const QVector< Okular::Page * > & pages, int se
     height -= KDialog::spacingHint();
     m_pagesWidget->resize( width, height );
 
+    // enable scrollbar when there's something to scroll
+    verticalScrollBar()->setEnabled( viewport()->height() < height );
+
     // request for thumbnail generation
     delayedRequestVisiblePixmaps( 200 );
 }
@@ -444,6 +448,9 @@ void ThumbnailList::viewportResizeEvent( QResizeEvent * e )
         newHeight -= KDialog::spacingHint();
         m_pagesWidget->resize( newWidth, newHeight );
 
+        // enable scrollbar when there's something to scroll
+        verticalScrollBar()->setEnabled( viewport()->height() < newHeight );
+
         // ensure selected item remains visible
         if ( m_selected )
             ensureVisible( 0, m_selected->mapToParent( QPoint( 0, 0 ) ).y() + m_selected->height()/2, 0, viewport()->height()/2 );