diff --git a/lib/elements/fill_stitch.py b/lib/elements/fill_stitch.py
index 555bcbe2f..47155ce06 100644
--- a/lib/elements/fill_stitch.py
+++ b/lib/elements/fill_stitch.py
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ class FillStitch(EmbroideryElement):
            sort_index=44)
     def enable_random_stitches(self):
         return self.get_boolean_param('enable_random_stitches', False)
-    
+
     @property
     @param('random_stitch_length_jitter_percent',
            _('Random stitch length jitter'),
diff --git a/lib/elements/utils.py b/lib/elements/utils.py
index fde66afc0..a340f838b 100644
--- a/lib/elements/utils.py
+++ b/lib/elements/utils.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 from ..commands import is_command
 from ..marker import has_marker
-from ..svg.tags import EMBROIDERABLE_TAGS, SVG_IMAGE_TAG, SVG_PATH_TAG, SVG_TEXT_TAG
+from ..svg.tags import EMBROIDERABLE_TAGS, SVG_IMAGE_TAG, SVG_TEXT_TAG
 from .clone import Clone, is_clone
 from .element import EmbroideryElement
 from .empty_d_object import EmptyDObject
diff --git a/lib/gui/lettering_font_sample.py b/lib/gui/lettering_font_sample.py
index 2e630fa36..af9de5ec8 100644
--- a/lib/gui/lettering_font_sample.py
+++ b/lib/gui/lettering_font_sample.py
@@ -141,8 +141,10 @@ class FontSampleFrame(wx.Frame):
 
         # parameters
         line_width = self.max_line_width.GetValue()
+        direction = self.direction.GetValue()
+
         font._load_variants()
-        font_variant = font.variants[self.direction.GetValue()]
+        font_variant = font.variants[direction]
 
         # setup lines of text
         text = ''
@@ -184,7 +186,7 @@ class FontSampleFrame(wx.Frame):
             width += width_to_add
 
         # render text and close
-        font.render_text(text, self.layer)
+        font.render_text(text, self.layer, variant=direction, back_and_forth=False)
         self.GetTopLevelParent().Close()
 
     def cancel(self, event):
diff --git a/lib/lettering/font.py b/lib/lettering/font.py
index 2aeff3def..fda9141cc 100644
--- a/lib/lettering/font.py
+++ b/lib/lettering/font.py
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ class Font(object):
             line = line.strip()
 
             letter_group = self._render_line(line, position, glyph_set)
-            if back_and_forth and self.reversible and i % 2 == 1:
+            if (back_and_forth and self.reversible and i % 2 == 1) or variant == '←':
                 letter_group[:] = reversed(letter_group)
             destination_group.append(letter_group)