diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
index c816ad9ff7ba..385567c4be5d 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/directives/drag.spec.ts
@@ -4352,7 +4352,7 @@ describe('CdkDrag', () => {
       expect(list.scrollTop).toBeLessThan(initialScrollDistance);
     }));
 
-    it('should auto-scroll right if the user holds their pointer at right edge', fakeAsync(() => {
+    it('should auto-scroll right if the user holds their pointer at right edge in ltr', fakeAsync(() => {
       const fixture = createComponent(DraggableInScrollableHorizontalDropZone);
       fixture.detectChanges();
       const item = fixture.componentInstance.dragItems.first.element.nativeElement;
@@ -4374,7 +4374,7 @@ describe('CdkDrag', () => {
       expect(list.scrollLeft).toBeGreaterThan(0);
     }));
 
-    it('should auto-scroll left if the user holds their pointer at left edge', fakeAsync(() => {
+    it('should auto-scroll left if the user holds their pointer at left edge in ltr', fakeAsync(() => {
       const fixture = createComponent(DraggableInScrollableHorizontalDropZone);
       fixture.detectChanges();
       const item = fixture.componentInstance.dragItems.first.element.nativeElement;
@@ -4390,6 +4390,56 @@ describe('CdkDrag', () => {
       expect(list.scrollLeft).toBeLessThan(initialScrollDistance);
     }));
 
+    it('should auto-scroll right if the user holds their pointer at right edge in rtl', fakeAsync(() => {
+      const fixture = createComponent(DraggableInScrollableHorizontalDropZone, [
+        {
+          provide: Directionality,
+          useValue: {value: 'rtl', change: observableOf()},
+        },
+      ]);
+      fixture.nativeElement.setAttribute('dir', 'rtl');
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      const item = fixture.componentInstance.dragItems.first.element.nativeElement;
+      const list = fixture.componentInstance.dropInstance.element.nativeElement;
+      const listRect = list.getBoundingClientRect();
+      const initialScrollDistance = (list.scrollLeft = -list.scrollWidth);
+
+      startDraggingViaMouse(fixture, item);
+      dispatchMouseEvent(
+        document,
+        'mousemove',
+        listRect.left + listRect.width,
+        listRect.top + listRect.height / 2,
+      );
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      tickAnimationFrames(20);
+
+      expect(list.scrollLeft).toBeGreaterThan(initialScrollDistance);
+    }));
+
+    it('should auto-scroll left if the user holds their pointer at left edge in rtl', fakeAsync(() => {
+      const fixture = createComponent(DraggableInScrollableHorizontalDropZone, [
+        {
+          provide: Directionality,
+          useValue: {value: 'rtl', change: observableOf()},
+        },
+      ]);
+      fixture.nativeElement.setAttribute('dir', 'rtl');
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      const item = fixture.componentInstance.dragItems.first.element.nativeElement;
+      const list = fixture.componentInstance.dropInstance.element.nativeElement;
+      const listRect = list.getBoundingClientRect();
+
+      expect(list.scrollLeft).toBe(0);
+
+      startDraggingViaMouse(fixture, item);
+      dispatchMouseEvent(document, 'mousemove', listRect.left, listRect.top + listRect.height / 2);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      tickAnimationFrames(20);
+
+      expect(list.scrollLeft).toBeLessThan(0);
+    }));
+
     it('should be able to start auto scrolling with a drag boundary', fakeAsync(() => {
       const fixture = createComponent(DraggableInScrollableHorizontalDropZone);
       fixture.componentInstance.boundarySelector = '.drop-list';
diff --git a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts
index f4cc9a9e1a5f..5ad492c6e715 100644
--- a/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/drag-drop/drop-list-ref.ts
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ export class DropListRef<T = any> {
         [verticalScrollDirection, horizontalScrollDirection] = getElementScrollDirections(
           element as HTMLElement,
           position.clientRect,
+          this._sortStrategy.direction,
           pointerX,
           pointerY,
         );
@@ -746,12 +747,14 @@ function getHorizontalScrollDirection(clientRect: DOMRect, pointerX: number) {
  * assuming that the user's pointer is already within it scrollable region.
  * @param element Element for which we should calculate the scroll direction.
  * @param clientRect Bounding client rectangle of the element.
+ * @param direction Layout direction of the drop list.
  * @param pointerX Position of the user's pointer along the x axis.
  * @param pointerY Position of the user's pointer along the y axis.
  */
 function getElementScrollDirections(
   element: HTMLElement,
   clientRect: DOMRect,
+  direction: Direction,
   pointerX: number,
   pointerY: number,
 ): [AutoScrollVerticalDirection, AutoScrollHorizontalDirection] {
@@ -779,12 +782,23 @@ function getElementScrollDirections(
   if (computedHorizontal) {
     const scrollLeft = element.scrollLeft;
 
-    if (computedHorizontal === AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.LEFT) {
-      if (scrollLeft > 0) {
+    if (direction === 'rtl') {
+      if (computedHorizontal === AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.RIGHT) {
+        // In RTL `scrollLeft` will be negative when scrolled.
+        if (scrollLeft < 0) {
+          horizontalScrollDirection = AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.RIGHT;
+        }
+      } else if (element.scrollWidth + scrollLeft > element.clientWidth) {
         horizontalScrollDirection = AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.LEFT;
       }
-    } else if (element.scrollWidth - scrollLeft > element.clientWidth) {
-      horizontalScrollDirection = AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.RIGHT;
+    } else {
+      if (computedHorizontal === AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.LEFT) {
+        if (scrollLeft > 0) {
+          horizontalScrollDirection = AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.LEFT;
+        }
+      } else if (element.scrollWidth - scrollLeft > element.clientWidth) {
+        horizontalScrollDirection = AutoScrollHorizontalDirection.RIGHT;
+      }
     }
   }