diff --git a/modules/behavior/hash.js b/modules/behavior/hash.js
index 7d0626680..431594a7c 100644
--- a/modules/behavior/hash.js
+++ b/modules/behavior/hash.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export function behaviorHash(context) {
                 context.storage('commentDate', Date.now());
             }
 
-            if (q.walkthrough) {
+            if (q.walkthrough === 'true') {
                 hash.startWalkthrough = true;
             }
 
diff --git a/modules/util/detect.js b/modules/util/detect.js
index c8b24b35f..ed8f3ad2e 100644
--- a/modules/util/detect.js
+++ b/modules/util/detect.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export function utilDetect(force) {
     // detect text direction
     var q = utilStringQs(window.location.hash.substring(1));
     var lang = dataLocales[detected.locale];
-    if ((lang && lang.rtl) || q.hasOwnProperty('rtl')) {
+    if ((lang && lang.rtl) || (q.rtl === 'true')) {
         detected.textDirection = 'rtl';
     } else {
         detected.textDirection = 'ltr';