diff --git a/data/templates/default.latex b/data/templates/default.latex
index c36bf8576..e989f27d9 100644
--- a/data/templates/default.latex
+++ b/data/templates/default.latex
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 \PassOptionsToPackage{hyphens}{url}
 $if(colorlinks)$
 \PassOptionsToPackage{dvipsnames,svgnames*,x11names*}{xcolor}
-$endif$
-%
+$endif$$if(dir)$$if(latex-dir-rtl)$
+\PassOptionsToPackage{RTLdocument}{bidi}
+$endif$$endif$%
 \documentclass[$if(fontsize)$$fontsize$,$endif$$if(lang)$$babel-lang$,$endif$$if(papersize)$$papersize$paper,$endif$$if(beamer)$ignorenonframetext,$if(handout)$handout,$endif$$if(aspectratio)$aspectratio=$aspectratio$,$endif$$endif$$for(classoption)$$classoption$$sep$,$endfor$]{$documentclass$}
 $if(beamer)$
 \setbeamertemplate{caption}[numbered]
@@ -287,11 +288,7 @@ $endif$
 $if(dir)$
 \ifxetex
   % load bidi as late as possible as it modifies e.g. graphicx
-  $if(latex-dir-rtl)$
-  \usepackage[RTLdocument]{bidi}
-  $else$
   \usepackage{bidi}
-  $endif$
 \fi
 \ifnum 0\ifxetex 1\fi\ifluatex 1\fi=0 % if pdftex
   \TeXXeTstate=1
diff --git a/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex b/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex
index 97c34010c..9a31a7df8 100644
--- a/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex
+++ b/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@
 \fi
 \ifxetex
   % load bidi as late as possible as it modifies e.g. graphicx
-    \usepackage{bidi}
-  \fi
+  \usepackage{bidi}
+\fi
 \ifnum 0\ifxetex 1\fi\ifluatex 1\fi=0 % if pdftex
   \TeXXeTstate=1
   \newcommand{\RL}[1]{\beginR #1\endR}