diff --git a/lib/elixir/lib/string.ex b/lib/elixir/lib/string.ex
index a5389c1792c..16cf7901534 100644
--- a/lib/elixir/lib/string.ex
+++ b/lib/elixir/lib/string.ex
@@ -1784,7 +1784,7 @@ defmodule String do
     do: :unicode.characters_to_binary(acc)
 
   defp do_reverse({:error, <<byte, rest::bits>>}, acc),
-    do: :unicode.characters_to_binary(acc) <> <<byte>> <> do_reverse(:unicode_util.gc(rest), [])
+    do: do_reverse(:unicode_util.gc(rest), []) <> <<byte>> <> :unicode.characters_to_binary(acc)
 
   @doc """
   Returns a string `subject` repeated `n` times.
diff --git a/lib/elixir/test/elixir/string_test.exs b/lib/elixir/test/elixir/string_test.exs
index 40a6fe8b574..de4f3833a4d 100644
--- a/lib/elixir/test/elixir/string_test.exs
+++ b/lib/elixir/test/elixir/string_test.exs
@@ -444,6 +444,7 @@ defmodule StringTest do
     assert String.reverse("Hello World") == "dlroW olleH"
     assert String.reverse("Hello ∂og") == "go∂ olleH"
     assert String.reverse("Ā̀stute") == "etutsĀ̀"
+    assert String.reverse("ab" <> <<254, 255>> <> "cd") == "dc" <> <<255, 254>> <> "ba"
     assert String.reverse(String.reverse("Hello World")) == "Hello World"
     assert String.reverse(String.reverse("Hello \r\n World")) == "Hello \r\n World"
   end