diff --git a/browser/base/content/scratchpad.js b/browser/base/content/scratchpad.js
index abb932cd266..3a0b4816d0b 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/scratchpad.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/scratchpad.js
@@ -643,6 +643,9 @@ var Scratchpad = {
     this._tabCharacter = expandtab ? (new Array(tabsize + 1)).join(" ") : "\t";
     this.textbox.style.MozTabSize = tabsize;
 
+    // Force LTR direction (otherwise the textbox inherits the locale direction)
+    this.textbox.style.direction = "ltr";
+
     this.insertIntro();
 
     // Make the Tab key work.