diff --git a/js/ui/layout.js b/js/ui/layout.js
index 82d848a5a..4a4c94f1d 100644
--- a/js/ui/layout.js
+++ b/js/ui/layout.js
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ const MESSAGE_TRAY_PRESSURE_TIMEOUT = 1000; // ms
 const HOT_CORNER_PRESSURE_THRESHOLD = 100; // pixels
 const HOT_CORNER_PRESSURE_TIMEOUT = 1000; // ms
 
+// We scale up when the dpi is higher then this (same value used by gsd)
+const HIGH_DPI_LIMIT = 192;
+
 function isPopupMetaWindow(actor) {
     switch(actor.meta_window.get_window_type()) {
     case Meta.WindowType.DROPDOWN_MENU:
@@ -486,8 +489,19 @@ const LayoutManager = new Lang.Class({
         return false;
     },
 
+    _updateScaling: function() {
+        let primary = this.monitors[this.primaryIndex];
+        let dpi_x = primary.width / (global.gdk_screen.get_monitor_width_mm(this.primaryIndex) / 25.4);
+        let dpi_y = primary.height / (global.gdk_screen.get_monitor_height_mm(this.primaryIndex) / 25.4);
+        if (dpi_x > HIGH_DPI_LIMIT && dpi_y > HIGH_DPI_LIMIT)
+            St.ThemeContext.get_for_stage(global.stage).scale_factor = 2;
+        else
+            St.ThemeContext.get_for_stage(global.stage).scale_factor = 1;
+    },
+
     _monitorsChanged: function() {
         this._updateMonitors();
+        this._updateScaling();
         this._updateBoxes();
         this._updateTrayBarrier();
         this._updateHotCorners();