diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.cpp
index ca010c074c..6c96c875a0 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.cpp
@@ -626,13 +626,16 @@ public:
         {
             x = target.getX();
 
-            auto spaceUnder = parentArea.getHeight() - (target.getBottom() - parentArea.getY());
+            auto spaceUnder = parentArea.getBottom() - target.getBottom();
             auto spaceOver = target.getY() - parentArea.getY();
+            auto bufferHeight = 30;
 
-            if (heightToUse < spaceUnder - 30 || spaceUnder >= spaceOver)
-                y = target.getBottom();
+            if (options.getPreferredPopupDirection() == Options::PopupDirection::upwards)
+                y = (heightToUse < spaceOver - bufferHeight  || spaceOver >= spaceUnder) ? target.getY() - heightToUse
+                                                                                         : target.getBottom();
             else
-                y = target.getY() - heightToUse;
+                y = (heightToUse < spaceUnder - bufferHeight || spaceUnder >= spaceOver) ? target.getBottom()
+                                                                                         : target.getY() - heightToUse;
         }
         else
         {
@@ -669,20 +672,17 @@ public:
                 tendTowardsRight = (parentArea.getRight() - target.getRight()) >= (target.getX() - parentArea.getX());
             }
 
-            if (tendTowardsRight)
-                x = jmin (parentArea.getRight() - widthToUse - 4, target.getRight());
-            else
-                x = jmax (parentArea.getX() + 4, target.getX() - widthToUse);
+            x = tendTowardsRight ? jmin (parentArea.getRight() - widthToUse - 4, target.getRight())
+                                 : jmax (parentArea.getX() + 4, target.getX() - widthToUse);
 
             if (getLookAndFeel().getPopupMenuBorderSize() == 0) // workaround for dismissing the window on mouse up when border size is 0
                 x += tendTowardsRight ? 1 : -1;
 
-            y = target.getY();
-            if (target.getCentreY() > parentArea.getCentreY())
-                y = jmax (parentArea.getY(), target.getBottom() - heightToUse);
+            y = target.getCentreY() > parentArea.getCentreY() ? jmax (parentArea.getY(), target.getBottom() - heightToUse)
+                                                              : target.getY();
         }
 
-        x = jmax (parentArea.getX() + 1, jmin (parentArea.getRight() - (widthToUse + 6), x));
+        x = jmax (parentArea.getX() + 1, jmin (parentArea.getRight()  - (widthToUse  + 6), x));
         y = jmax (parentArea.getY() + 1, jmin (parentArea.getBottom() - (heightToUse + 6), y));
 
         windowPos.setBounds (x, y, widthToUse, heightToUse);
@@ -1580,6 +1580,13 @@ PopupMenu::Options PopupMenu::Options::withParentComponent (Component* parent) c
     return o;
 }
 
+PopupMenu::Options PopupMenu::Options::withPreferredPopupDirection (PopupDirection direction) const noexcept
+{
+    Options o (*this);
+    o.preferredPopupDirection = direction;
+    return o;
+}
+
 Component* PopupMenu::createWindow (const Options& options,
                                     ApplicationCommandManager** managerOfChosenCommand) const
 {
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.h b/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.h
index 7e1565e299..2c149c9fd2 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.h
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/menus/juce_PopupMenu.h
@@ -390,6 +390,12 @@ public:
         Options (const Options&) = default;
         Options& operator= (const Options&) = default;
 
+        enum class PopupDirection
+        {
+            upwards,
+            downwards
+        };
+
         //==============================================================================
         Options withTargetComponent (Component* targetComponent) const noexcept;
         Options withTargetScreenArea (Rectangle<int> targetArea) const noexcept;
@@ -399,16 +405,18 @@ public:
         Options withStandardItemHeight (int standardHeight) const noexcept;
         Options withItemThatMustBeVisible (int idOfItemToBeVisible) const noexcept;
         Options withParentComponent (Component* parentComponent) const noexcept;
+        Options withPreferredPopupDirection (PopupDirection direction) const noexcept;
 
         //==============================================================================
-        Component* getParentComponent() const noexcept          { return parentComponent; }
-        Component* getTargetComponent() const noexcept          { return targetComponent; }
-        Rectangle<int> getTargetScreenArea() const noexcept     { return targetArea; }
-        int getMinimumWidth() const noexcept                    { return minWidth; }
-        int getMaximumNumColumns() const noexcept               { return maxColumns; }
-        int getMinimumNumColumns() const noexcept               { return minColumns; }
-        int getStandardItemHeight() const noexcept              { return standardHeight; }
-        int getItemThatMustBeVisible() const noexcept           { return visibleItemID; }
+        Component* getParentComponent() const noexcept               { return parentComponent; }
+        Component* getTargetComponent() const noexcept               { return targetComponent; }
+        Rectangle<int> getTargetScreenArea() const noexcept          { return targetArea; }
+        int getMinimumWidth() const noexcept                         { return minWidth; }
+        int getMaximumNumColumns() const noexcept                    { return maxColumns; }
+        int getMinimumNumColumns() const noexcept                    { return minColumns; }
+        int getStandardItemHeight() const noexcept                   { return standardHeight; }
+        int getItemThatMustBeVisible() const noexcept                { return visibleItemID; }
+        PopupDirection getPreferredPopupDirection() const noexcept   { return preferredPopupDirection; }
 
     private:
         //==============================================================================
@@ -416,6 +424,7 @@ public:
         Component* targetComponent = nullptr;
         Component* parentComponent = nullptr;
         int visibleItemID = 0, minWidth = 0, minColumns = 1, maxColumns = 0, standardHeight = 0;
+        PopupDirection preferredPopupDirection = PopupDirection::downwards;
     };
 
     //==============================================================================