diff --git a/ext/fribidi/README b/ext/fribidi/README
index 6620388248d..182cdf8b8b8 100644
--- a/ext/fribidi/README
+++ b/ext/fribidi/README
@@ -9,9 +9,13 @@ Arabic/Hebrew embedded within English is such a case.
 Usage
 =====
 
- The only function used is fribidi_log2vis (logical to visual).
-     Input: 1) The Logical string.
-            2) Base direction of application - 'L' or 'R'.
+ The only function used is fribidi_log2vis (logical [non-reversed] to visual [reversed]).
+     Input: 
+            1) The Logical string.
+            2) Base direction of application. Possible values:
+                 a) FRIBIDI_RTL  - right to left
+                 b) FRIBIDI_LTR  - left to right
+                 c) FRIBIDI_AUTO - autodetect the base direction
             3) The char code being used, which can be one of the following
                constants:
                  a) FRIBIDI_CHARSET_UTF8
@@ -43,7 +47,7 @@ Note
 
 The function fribidi_log2vis computes three more arrays which are currently not passed back as output.
 These arrays are:
-	1) mapping from the logical to the visual sting.
+	1) mapping from the logical to the visual string.
 	2) mapping from the visual to the logical string.
 	3) embedding level of characters as figured out by the FriBidi algorithm.
 
diff --git a/ext/fribidi/fribidi.c b/ext/fribidi/fribidi.c
index 7ba3e5c8aff..f09f54b42ad 100755
--- a/ext/fribidi/fribidi.c
+++ b/ext/fribidi/fribidi.c
@@ -57,13 +57,19 @@ ZEND_GET_MODULE(fribidi)
  */
 PHP_MINIT_FUNCTION(fribidi)
 {
+	/* Charsets */
 	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_CHARSET_UTF8", FRIBIDI_CHARSET_UTF8, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
 	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_CHARSET_8859_6", FRIBIDI_CHARSET_ISO8859_6, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
 	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_CHARSET_8859_8", FRIBIDI_CHARSET_ISO8859_8, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
 	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_CHARSET_CP1255", FRIBIDI_CHARSET_CP1255, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
 	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_CHARSET_CP1256", FRIBIDI_CHARSET_CP1256, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
 	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_CHARSET_ISIRI_3342", FRIBIDI_CHARSET_ISIRI_3342, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
-
+	
+	/* Directions */
+	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_AUTO", FRIBIDI_TYPE_ON, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
+	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_LTR", FRIBIDI_TYPE_LTR, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
+	REGISTER_LONG_CONSTANT("FRIBIDI_RTL", FRIBIDI_TYPE_RTL, CONST_CS | CONST_PERSISTENT);
+	
 	return SUCCESS;
 }
 /* }}} */
@@ -127,12 +133,27 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(fribidi_log2vis)
 	if (ZEND_NUM_ARGS() != 3 || zend_get_parameters_ex(3, &parameter1, &parameter2, &parameter3) == FAILURE) {
 		WRONG_PARAM_COUNT;
 	}
-
+	
 	/* convert input to expected type.... */
 	convert_to_string_ex(parameter1);
-	convert_to_string_ex(parameter2);
 	convert_to_long_ex(parameter3);
-	
+
+	if (Z_TYPE_PP(parameter2) == IS_LONG) {
+		convert_to_long_ex(parameter2);
+		base_dir = Z_LVAL_PP(parameter2);
+	} else if (Z_TYPE_PP(parameter2) == IS_STRING) {
+		convert_to_string_ex(parameter2);
+		if ((Z_STRVAL_PP(parameter2))[0] == 'R') {
+			base_dir = FRIBIDI_TYPE_RTL;
+		} else if (Z_STRVAL_PP(parameter2)[0] == 'L') {
+			base_dir = FRIBIDI_TYPE_LTR;
+		} else {
+			base_dir = FRIBIDI_TYPE_ON;
+		}
+			
+		php_error_docref(NULL TSRMLS_CC, E_WARNING, "The use of strings to mark the base direction is deprecated, please use the FRIBIDI_LTR, FRIBIDI_RTL and FRIBIDI_AUTO constants");
+	}
+
 	/* allocate space and prepare all local variables */
 	len = Z_STRLEN_PP(parameter1);
 	inString = estrndup(Z_STRVAL_PP(parameter1), len);
@@ -180,13 +201,6 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(fribidi_log2vis)
 	}
 	
 	/* visualize the logical.... */
-	if ((Z_STRVAL_PP(parameter2))[0] == 'R') {
-		base_dir = FRIBIDI_TYPE_RTL;
-	} else if (Z_STRVAL_PP(parameter2)[0] == 'L') {
-		base_dir = FRIBIDI_TYPE_LTR;
-	} else {
-		base_dir = FRIBIDI_TYPE_N;
-	}
 	
 	outString = (char *) emalloc(sizeof(char)*alloc_len);