diff --git a/packages/react-native/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m b/packages/react-native/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m
index f77cb0c103b..612d83d7e94 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m
+++ b/packages/react-native/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ - (BOOL)isDevicePreferredLanguageRTL
 // Check if the current application language is RTL
 - (BOOL)isApplicationPreferredLanguageRTL
 {
-  NSWritingDirection direction = [NSParagraphStyle defaultWritingDirectionForLanguage:nil];
+  NSString *language = [[NSLocale preferredLanguages] firstObject];
+  NSWritingDirection direction = [NSParagraphStyle defaultWritingDirectionForLanguage:language];
   return direction == NSWritingDirectionRightToLeft;
 }