diff --git a/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.h b/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.h
index ec830d84f..bda4835ea 100644
--- a/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.h
+++ b/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 #import <React/RCTShadowView.h>
+#import <yoga/YGEnums.h>
 
 @interface RCTRootShadowView : RCTShadowView
 
@@ -17,6 +18,13 @@
  */
 @property (nonatomic, assign) RCTRootViewSizeFlexibility sizeFlexibility;
 
+/**
+ * Layout direction (LTR or RTL) inherited from native environment and
+ * is using as a base direction value in layout engine.
+ * Defaults to value inferred from current locale.
+ */
+@property (nonatomic, assign) YGDirection baseDirection;
+
 /**
  * Calculate all views whose frame needs updating after layout has been calculated.
  * Returns a set contains the shadowviews that need updating.
diff --git a/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.m b/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.m
index 70fb827b9..004225922 100644
--- a/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.m
+++ b/React/Views/RCTRootShadowView.m
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 {
   self = [super init];
   if (self) {
-    self.direction = [[RCTI18nUtil sharedInstance] isRTL] ? YGDirectionRTL : YGDirectionLTR;
+    _baseDirection = [[RCTI18nUtil sharedInstance] isRTL] ? YGDirectionRTL : YGDirectionLTR;
   }
   return self;
 }
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 {
   [self applySizeConstraints];
 
-  YGNodeCalculateLayout(self.cssNode, YGUndefined, YGUndefined, YGDirectionInherit);
+  YGNodeCalculateLayout(self.cssNode, YGUndefined, YGUndefined, _baseDirection);
 
   NSMutableSet<RCTShadowView *> *viewsWithNewFrame = [NSMutableSet set];
   [self applyLayoutNode:self.cssNode viewsWithNewFrame:viewsWithNewFrame absolutePosition:CGPointZero];