diff --git a/React/Fabric/Surface/RCTFabricSurface.mm b/React/Fabric/Surface/RCTFabricSurface.mm
index ba325ac55c8..5c67facb190 100644
--- a/React/Fabric/Surface/RCTFabricSurface.mm
+++ b/React/Fabric/Surface/RCTFabricSurface.mm
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ using namespace facebook::react;
 - (void)_updateLayoutContext
 {
   auto layoutConstraints = _surfaceHandler->getLayoutConstraints();
+  layoutConstraints.layoutDirection = RCTLayoutDirection([[RCTI18nUtil sharedInstance] isRTL]);
+
   auto layoutContext = _surfaceHandler->getLayoutContext();
 
   layoutContext.pointScaleFactor = RCTScreenScale();
diff --git a/ReactCommon/react/renderer/scheduler/SurfaceHandler.cpp b/ReactCommon/react/renderer/scheduler/SurfaceHandler.cpp
index 0e01c6e8d4e..acc6b36b195 100644
--- a/ReactCommon/react/renderer/scheduler/SurfaceHandler.cpp
+++ b/ReactCommon/react/renderer/scheduler/SurfaceHandler.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ void SurfaceHandler::start() const noexcept {
     std::unique_lock<better::shared_mutex> lock(linkMutex_);
     react_native_assert(
         link_.status == Status::Registered && "Surface must be registered.");
+    react_native_assert(
+        getLayoutConstraints().layoutDirection != LayoutDirection::Undefined &&
+        "layoutDirection must be set.");
 
     auto parameters = Parameters{};
     {