diff --git a/content.py b/content.py
index 5d69dfff4..52eb33391 100644
--- a/content.py
+++ b/content.py
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import email.parser
 import urllib.parse
 from shutil import copyfile
 from dateutil.parser import parse
+from utils import is_right_to_left_text
+from utils import language_right_to_left
 from utils import binary_is_image
 from utils import get_content_from_post
 from utils import get_full_domain
@@ -2195,3 +2197,29 @@ def add_name_emojis_to_tags(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str,
         if updated:
             new_tag['updated'] = updated
         actor_json['tag'].append(new_tag)
+
+
+def format_mixed_right_to_left(content: str,
+                               language: str) -> str:
+    """Adds RTL direction formatting for non-RTL language
+    eg. where some paragraphs are English and others are Arabic
+    """
+    # not a RTL language
+    if language_right_to_left(language):
+        return content
+    paragraphs = content.split('<p>')
+    result = ''
+    changed = False
+    for text_html in paragraphs:
+        if '</p>' not in text_html:
+            continue
+        text_html = '<p>' + text_html
+        text_plain = remove_html(text_html)
+        if is_right_to_left_text(text_plain):
+            text_html = text_html.replace('<p>', '<p><div dir="rtl">', 1)
+            text_html = text_html.replace('</p>', '</div></p>', 1)
+            changed = True
+        result += text_html
+    if not changed:
+        return content
+    return result
diff --git a/languages.py b/languages.py
index 668cddba2..12ce8cc72 100644
--- a/languages.py
+++ b/languages.py
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ def get_reply_language(base_dir: str,
         post_obj = post_json_object['object']
     if not post_obj.get('contentMap'):
         return None
-    for lang, content in post_obj['contentMap'].items():
+    for lang, _ in post_obj['contentMap'].items():
         lang_filename = base_dir + '/translations/' + lang + '.json'
         if not os.path.isfile(lang_filename):
             continue
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 8a74c3814..df9fca23a 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ from follow import clear_followers
 from follow import send_follow_request_via_server
 from follow import send_unfollow_request_via_server
 from siteactive import site_is_active
+from utils import is_right_to_left_text
 from utils import remove_markup_tag
 from utils import remove_style_within_html
 from utils import html_tag_has_closing
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ from inbox import valid_inbox
 from inbox import valid_inbox_filenames
 from inbox import cache_svg_images
 from categories import guess_hashtag_category
+from content import format_mixed_right_to_left
 from content import replace_remote_hashtags
 from content import add_name_emojis_to_tags
 from content import combine_textarea_lines
@@ -8090,6 +8092,63 @@ def _test_remove_tag() -> None:
     assert result == 'This is a test<br>something<br>again'
 
 
+def _test_is_right_to_left() -> None:
+    print('is_right_to_left')
+    text = 'This is a test'
+    assert not is_right_to_left_text(text)
+
+    # arabic
+    text = 'هذا اختبار'
+    assert is_right_to_left_text(text)
+
+    text = 'Das ist ein Test'
+    assert not is_right_to_left_text(text)
+
+    # persian
+    text = 'این یک امتحان است'
+    assert is_right_to_left_text(text)
+
+    # chinese
+    text = '这是一个测试'
+    assert not is_right_to_left_text(text)
+
+    # hebrew
+    text = 'זה מבחן'
+    assert is_right_to_left_text(text)
+
+    # yiddish
+    text = 'דאָס איז אַ פּראָבע'
+    assert is_right_to_left_text(text)
+
+
+def _test_format_mixed_rtl() -> None:
+    print('format_mixed_rtl')
+    content = '<p>This is some English</p>' + \
+        '<p>هذه عربية</p>' + \
+        '<p>And more English</p>'
+    result = format_mixed_right_to_left(content, 'en')
+    expected = '<p>This is some English</p>' + \
+        '<p><div dir="rtl">هذه عربية</div></p>' + \
+        '<p>And more English</p>'
+    assert result == expected
+
+    content = '<p>This is some only English</p>'
+    result = format_mixed_right_to_left(content, 'en')
+    assert result == content
+
+    content = 'This is some only English without markup'
+    result = format_mixed_right_to_left(content, 'en')
+    assert result == content
+
+    content = '<p>هذا عربي فقط</p>'
+    result = format_mixed_right_to_left(content, 'en')
+    expected = '<p><div dir="rtl">هذا عربي فقط</div></p>'
+    assert result == expected
+
+    result = format_mixed_right_to_left(content, 'ar')
+    assert result == content
+
+
 def run_all_tests():
     base_dir = os.getcwd()
     print('Running tests...')
@@ -8107,6 +8166,8 @@ def run_all_tests():
     _test_checkbox_names()
     _test_thread_functions()
     _test_functions()
+    _test_is_right_to_left()
+    _test_format_mixed_rtl()
     _test_remove_tag()
     _test_featured_tags()
     _test_xor_hashes()
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index ce083f64f..60c6b0557 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -4542,6 +4542,19 @@ def language_right_to_left(language: str) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
+def is_right_to_left_text(text: str) -> bool:
+    """Is the given text right to left?
+    Persian \u0600-\u06FF
+    Arabic \u0627-\u064a
+    Hebrew/Yiddish \u0590-\u05FF\uFB2A-\uFB4E
+    """
+    unicode_str = '[\u0627-\u064a]|[\u0600-\u06FF]|' + \
+        '[\u0590-\u05FF\uFB2A-\uFB4E]'
+    pattern = re.compile(unicode_str)
+
+    return len(re.findall(pattern, text)) > (len(text)/2)
+
+
 def binary_is_image(filename: str, media_binary) -> bool:
     """Returns true if the given file binary data contains an image
     """
diff --git a/webapp_post.py b/webapp_post.py
index e06d14950..87ed82543 100644
--- a/webapp_post.py
+++ b/webapp_post.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ from utils import acct_dir
 from utils import local_actor_url
 from utils import is_unlisted_post
 from utils import language_right_to_left
+from content import format_mixed_right_to_left
 from content import replace_remote_hashtags
 from content import detect_dogwhistles
 from content import create_edits_html
@@ -2720,6 +2721,8 @@ def individual_post_as_html(signing_priv_key_pem: str,
                 switch_words(base_dir, nickname, domain, object_content)
             object_content = html_replace_email_quote(object_content)
             object_content = html_replace_quote_marks(object_content)
+            object_content = \
+                format_mixed_right_to_left(object_content, system_language)
             # append any edits
             object_content += edits_str
         else: