diff --git a/spec/lines-yardstick-spec.coffee b/spec/lines-yardstick-spec.coffee
index 88e56f2df..2eea19da7 100644
--- a/spec/lines-yardstick-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/lines-yardstick-spec.coffee
@@ -103,6 +103,23 @@ describe "LinesYardstick", ->
       expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([2, 6])).toEqual({left: 72, top: 28})
       expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([5, 10])).toEqual({left: 120, top: 70})
 
+    it "correctly handles RTL characters", ->
+      atom.styles.addStyleSheet """
+      * {
+        font-size: 14px;
+        font-family: monospace;
+      }
+      """
+
+      editor.setText("السلام عليكم")
+      expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([0, 0]).left).toBe 0
+      expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([0, 1]).left).toBe 8
+      expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([0, 2]).left).toBe 17
+      expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([0, 5]).left).toBe 34
+      expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([0, 7]).left).toBe 50
+      expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([0, 9]).left).toBe 67
+      expect(linesYardstick.pixelPositionForScreenPosition([0, 11]).left).toBe 84
+
     describe "::screenPositionForPixelPosition(pixelPosition)", ->
       it "converts pixel positions to screen positions", ->
         atom.styles.addStyleSheet """
diff --git a/src/lines-yardstick.coffee b/src/lines-yardstick.coffee
index 7432bc82e..10ae82b16 100644
--- a/src/lines-yardstick.coffee
+++ b/src/lines-yardstick.coffee
@@ -161,20 +161,17 @@ class LinesYardstick
       0
 
   leftPixelPositionForCharInTextNode: (lineNode, textNode, charIndex) ->
+    @rangeForMeasurement.setStart(textNode, 0)
+    @rangeForMeasurement.setEnd(textNode, charIndex)
+    width = @rangeForMeasurement.getBoundingClientRect().width
+
+    @rangeForMeasurement.setStart(textNode, 0)
     @rangeForMeasurement.setEnd(textNode, textNode.textContent.length)
+    left = @rangeForMeasurement.getBoundingClientRect().left
 
-    position =
-      if charIndex is 0
-        @rangeForMeasurement.setStart(textNode, 0)
-        @rangeForMeasurement.getBoundingClientRect().left
-      else if charIndex is textNode.textContent.length
-        @rangeForMeasurement.setStart(textNode, 0)
-        @rangeForMeasurement.getBoundingClientRect().right
-      else
-        @rangeForMeasurement.setStart(textNode, charIndex)
-        @rangeForMeasurement.getBoundingClientRect().left
+    offset = lineNode.getBoundingClientRect().left
 
-    position - lineNode.getBoundingClientRect().left
+    left + width - offset
 
   pixelRectForScreenRange: (screenRange) ->
     lineHeight = @model.getLineHeightInPixels()