diff --git a/include/openspace/navigation/orbitalnavigator.h b/include/openspace/navigation/orbitalnavigator.h
index 00e083d55b..de6807c294 100644
--- a/include/openspace/navigation/orbitalnavigator.h
+++ b/include/openspace/navigation/orbitalnavigator.h
@@ -70,11 +70,12 @@ public:
         properties::BoolProperty shouldTriggerWhenIdle;
         properties::FloatProperty idleWaitTime;
         properties::BoolProperty abortOnCameraInteraction;
-        properties::FloatProperty speedScale;
+        properties::BoolProperty invert;
+        properties::FloatProperty speedScaleFactor;
         properties::FloatProperty dampenInterpolationTime;
 
         properties::OptionProperty defaultBehavior;
-        std::optional<Behavior> chosenBehavior = std::nullopt;
+        std::optional<Behavior> chosenBehavior;
     };
 
     OrbitalNavigator();
diff --git a/src/navigation/orbitalnavigator.cpp b/src/navigation/orbitalnavigator.cpp
index 308faab6a6..bda7db9093 100644
--- a/src/navigation/orbitalnavigator.cpp
+++ b/src/navigation/orbitalnavigator.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,16 @@ namespace {
         "SpeedFactor",
         "Speed Factor",
         "A factor that can be used to increase or slow down the speed of an applied "
-        "idle behavior"
+        "idle behavior. A negative value will invert the direction. Note that a speed "
+        "of exactly 0 leads to no movement at all"
+    };
+
+    constexpr openspace::properties::Property::PropertyInfo InvertIdleBehaviorInfo = {
+        "Invert",
+        "Invert",
+        "If true, the direction of the idle behavior motion will be inverted compared "
+        "to the default. For example, the 'Orbit' option rotates to the right per "
+        "default, and will rotate to the left when inverted"
     };
 
     constexpr openspace::properties::Property::PropertyInfo AbortOnCameraInteractionInfo =
@@ -296,7 +305,8 @@ OrbitalNavigator::IdleBehavior::IdleBehavior()
     , shouldTriggerWhenIdle(ShouldTriggerIdleBehaviorWhenIdleInfo, false)
     , idleWaitTime(IdleWaitTimeInfo, 5.f, 0.f, 3600.f)
     , abortOnCameraInteraction(AbortOnCameraInteractionInfo, true)
-    , speedScale(IdleBehaviorSpeedInfo, 1.f, 0.01f, 5.f)
+    , invert(InvertIdleBehaviorInfo, false)
+    , speedScaleFactor(IdleBehaviorSpeedInfo, 1.f, -5.f, 5.f)
     , dampenInterpolationTime(IdleBehaviorDampenInterpolationTimeInfo, 0.5f, 0.f, 10.f)
     , defaultBehavior(IdleBehaviorInfo)
 {
@@ -320,7 +330,8 @@ OrbitalNavigator::IdleBehavior::IdleBehavior()
     addProperty(shouldTriggerWhenIdle);
     addProperty(idleWaitTime);
     idleWaitTime.setExponent(2.2f);
-    addProperty(speedScale);
+    addProperty(invert);
+    addProperty(speedScaleFactor);
     addProperty(abortOnCameraInteraction);
     addProperty(dampenInterpolationTime);
 }
@@ -1650,9 +1661,13 @@ void OrbitalNavigator::applyIdleBehavior(double deltaTime, glm::dvec3& position,
         glm::clamp(distFromSurfaceToCamera / distFromCenterToSurface, 0.0, 1.0) :
         1.0; // same as horizontal translation
 
-    speedScale *= _idleBehavior.speedScale;
+    speedScale *= _idleBehavior.speedScaleFactor;
     speedScale *= 0.05; // without this scaling, the motion is way too fast
 
+    if (_idleBehavior.invert) {
+        speedScale *= -1.0;
+    }
+
     // Interpolate so that the start and end are smooth
     double s = _idleBehaviorDampenInterpolator.value();
     speedScale *= _invertIdleBehaviorInterpolation ? (1.0 - s) : s;