diff --git a/lib/timeline/Core.js b/lib/timeline/Core.js
index 1b4f1291..3ea69325 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/Core.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/Core.js
@@ -277,8 +277,7 @@ Core.prototype.setOptions = function (options) {
       'start', 'end', 'clickToUse', 'dataAttributes', 'hiddenDates',
       'locale', 'locales', 'moment', 'rtl', 'zoomKey', 'horizontalScroll', 'verticalScroll'
     ];
-    util.selectiveExtend(fields, this.options, options);
-
+    util.selectiveExtend(fields, this.options, options); 
 
     if (this.options.rtl) {
       this.dom.container.style.direction = "rtl";
diff --git a/lib/timeline/Timeline.js b/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
index cc44f3b0..a2d528df 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
@@ -57,9 +57,17 @@ function Timeline (container, items, groups, options) {
     minHeight: null
   };
   this.options = util.deepExtend({}, this.defaultOptions);
-  if (options) {
-    this.options.rtl = options.rtl
-  }
+
+  if (!options || (options && typeof options.rtl == "undefined")) {
+    if (container.dir) {
+      this.options.rtl = container.dir == "rtl";
+    } else if (document.dir) {
+      this.options.rtl = document.dir == "rtl";
+    }
+  } else {
+    this.options.rtl = options.rtl;
+  } 
+
   // Create the DOM, props, and emitter
   this._create(container);
 
@@ -91,17 +99,17 @@ function Timeline (container, items, groups, options) {
   };
 
   // range
-  this.range = new Range(this.body);
+  this.range = new Range(this.body, this.options);
   this.components.push(this.range);
   this.body.range = this.range;
 
   // time axis
-  this.timeAxis = new TimeAxis(this.body);
+  this.timeAxis = new TimeAxis(this.body, this.options);
   this.timeAxis2 = null; // used in case of orientation option 'both'
   this.components.push(this.timeAxis);
 
   // current time bar
-  this.currentTime = new CurrentTime(this.body);
+  this.currentTime = new CurrentTime(this.body, this.options);
   this.components.push(this.currentTime);
 
   // item set