diff --git a/rest_framework/pagination.py b/rest_framework/pagination.py
index 2555d0840..50af70493 100644
--- a/rest_framework/pagination.py
+++ b/rest_framework/pagination.py
@@ -632,9 +632,9 @@ class CursorPagination(BasePagination):
             else:
                 kwargs = {order_attr + '__gt': current_position}
 
-            # If some records contain a null for the ordering field, don't lose them.
             filter_query = Q(**kwargs)
-            if reverse:
+            # If some records contain a null for the ordering field, don't lose them.
+            if (reverse and not is_reversed) or is_reversed:
                 filter_query |= Q(**{order_attr + '__isnull': True})
             queryset = queryset.filter(filter_query)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_pagination.py b/tests/test_pagination.py
index fbe064b35..b7633537e 100644
--- a/tests/test_pagination.py
+++ b/tests/test_pagination.py
@@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ class TestCursorPaginationWithNulls(TestCase):
         assert current == [None]
         assert next == [None]
 
-    def test_decending(self):
+    def test_descending(self):
         """Test paginating one row at a time, current should go 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4."""
         self.pagination.ordering = ('-created',)
         (previous, current, next, previous_url, next_url) = self.get_pages('/')