diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/Ordering.kt b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/Ordering.kt
index 9fd78bea4bd..4e9da59a4a5 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/Ordering.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/util/Ordering.kt
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public fun <T : Comparable<*>> compareValues(a: T?, b: T?): Int {
     if (a == null) return -1
     if (b == null) return 1
 
-    return (a as Comparable<Any?>).compareTo(b)
+    return (a as Comparable<Any>).compareTo(b)
 }
 
 /**
@@ -293,9 +293,21 @@ public fun <T: Comparable<T>> nullsLast(): Comparator<T?> {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns a comparator that compares [Comparable] objects in natural order.
+ */
+public fun <T: Comparable<T>> naturalOrder(): Comparator<T> = NaturalOrderComparator as Comparator<T>
+
+/**
+ * Returns a comparator that compares [Comparable] objects in reversed natural order.
+ */
+public fun <T: Comparable<T>> reverseOrder(): Comparator<T> = ReverseOrderComparator as Comparator<T>
+
 /** Returns a comparator that imposes the reverse ordering of this comparator. */
 public fun <T> Comparator<T>.reversed(): Comparator<T> = when (this) {
     is ReversedComparator -> this.comparator
+    NaturalOrderComparator -> ReverseOrderComparator as Comparator<T>
+    ReverseOrderComparator -> NaturalOrderComparator as Comparator<T>
     else -> ReversedComparator(this)
 }
 
@@ -303,3 +315,11 @@ public fun <T> Comparator<T>.reversed(): Comparator<T> = when (this) {
 private class ReversedComparator<T>(public val comparator: Comparator<T>): Comparator<T> {
     override fun compare(a: T, b: T): Int = comparator.compare(b, a)
 }
+
+private object NaturalOrderComparator : Comparator<Comparable<Any>> {
+    override fun compare(c1: Comparable<Any>, c2: Comparable<Any>): Int = c1.compareTo(c2)
+}
+
+private object ReverseOrderComparator: Comparator<Comparable<Any>> {
+    override fun compare(c1: Comparable<Any>, c2: Comparable<Any>): Int = c2.compareTo(c1)
+}
diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/test/OrderingTest.kt b/libraries/stdlib/test/OrderingTest.kt
index fbf61f25e5f..60558e8b93f 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/test/OrderingTest.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/test/OrderingTest.kt
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class OrderingTest {
 
     @Test
     fun sortComparatorThenComparator() {
-        val comparator = comparator<Item> { a, b -> a.name.compareTo(b.name) } thenComparator { a, b -> a.rating.compareTo(b.rating) }
+        val comparator = comparator<Item> { a, b -> a.name.compareTo(b.name) }.thenComparator { a, b -> a.rating.compareTo(b.rating) }
 
         val diff = comparator.compare(v1, v2)
         assertTrue(diff > 0)
@@ -74,9 +74,28 @@ class OrderingTest {
         assertTrue( (byRating thenDescending byName).compare(v4, v2) < 0 )
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun reversedComparator() {
+        val comparator = compareBy<Item> { it.name }
+        val reversed = comparator.reversed()
+        assertEquals(comparator.compare(v2, v1), reversed.compare(v1, v2))
+        assertEquals(comparator, reversed.reversed())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun naturalOrderComparator() {
+        val v1 = "a"
+        val v2 = "beta"
+
+        assertTrue(naturalOrder<String>().compare(v1, v2) < 0)
+        assertTrue(reverseOrder<String>().compare(v1, v2) > 0)
+        assertTrue(reverseOrder<Int>() === naturalOrder<Int>().reversed())
+        assertTrue(naturalOrder<Int>() === reverseOrder<Int>().reversed())
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun sortByThenBy() {
-        val comparator = compareBy<Item> { it.rating } thenBy { it.name }
+        val comparator = compareBy<Item> { it.rating }.thenBy { it.name }
 
         val diff = comparator.compare(v1, v2)
         assertTrue(diff < 0)
@@ -87,7 +106,7 @@ class OrderingTest {
 
     @Test
     fun sortByThenByDescending() {
-        val comparator = compareBy<Item> { it.rating } thenByDescending { it.name }
+        val comparator = compareBy<Item> { it.rating }.thenByDescending { it.name }
 
         val diff = comparator.compare(v1, v2)
         assertTrue(diff < 0)