diff --git a/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-input.tsx b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-input.tsx
index c6cef95952..fe82744c18 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-input.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-input.tsx
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ export default class AutosuggestInput extends ImmutablePureComponent<IAutosugges
     const visible = !suggestionsHidden && (!suggestions.isEmpty() || (menu && value));
 
     // TODO: convert to functional component and use `useLocale()` hook instead of checking placeholder text.
-    if (isRtl(value) || (placeholder && isRtl(placeholder) && !value)) {
+    if (isRtl(value) || (!value && placeholder && isRtl(placeholder))) {
       style.direction = 'rtl';
     }
 
diff --git a/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-textarea.tsx b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-textarea.tsx
index 31ca7c283e..b7fceb86df 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-textarea.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-textarea.tsx
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ class AutosuggestTextarea extends ImmutablePureComponent<IAutosuggesteTextarea>
     const style = { direction: 'ltr', minRows: 10 };
 
     // TODO: convert to functional component and use `useLocale()` hook instead of checking placeholder text.
-    if (isRtl(value) || (placeholder && isRtl(placeholder) && !value)) {
+    if (isRtl(value) || (!value && placeholder && isRtl(placeholder))) {
       style.direction = 'rtl';
     }