diff --git a/src/apify_client/clients/resource_clients/dataset.py b/src/apify_client/clients/resource_clients/dataset.py
index 87d6aab5..4304ddb1 100644
--- a/src/apify_client/clients/resource_clients/dataset.py
+++ b/src/apify_client/clients/resource_clients/dataset.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def list_items(
                 'limit': int(
                     response.headers['x-apify-pagination-limit']
                 ),  # API returns 999999999999 when no limit is used
-                'desc': bool(response.headers['x-apify-pagination-desc']),
+                'desc': response.headers['x-apify-pagination-desc'].lower() == 'true',
             }
         )
 
@@ -769,7 +769,7 @@ async def list_items(
                 'limit': int(
                     response.headers['x-apify-pagination-limit']
                 ),  # API returns 999999999999 when no limit is used
-                'desc': bool(response.headers['x-apify-pagination-desc']),
+                'desc': response.headers['x-apify-pagination-desc'].lower() == 'true',
             }
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_dataset_list_items.py b/tests/unit/test_dataset_list_items.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19831a15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_dataset_list_items.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+import pytest
+from werkzeug import Response
+
+from apify_client import ApifyClient, ApifyClientAsync
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from collections.abc import Callable
+
+    from pytest_httpserver import HTTPServer
+
+DATASET_ID = 'test-dataset-id'
+ITEMS_PATH = f'/v2/datasets/{DATASET_ID}/items'
+
+
+def _make_list_items_handler(*, desc_header_value: str) -> Callable:
+    """Create a handler that returns a list_items response with the given desc header value."""
+
+    def handler(_request: object) -> Response:
+        return Response(
+            status=200,
+            headers={
+                'x-apify-pagination-total': '2',
+                'x-apify-pagination-offset': '0',
+                'x-apify-pagination-count': '2',
+                'x-apify-pagination-limit': '999999999999',
+                'x-apify-pagination-desc': desc_header_value,
+                'content-type': 'application/json',
+            },
+            response=json.dumps([{'id': 1}, {'id': 2}]),
+        )
+
+    return handler
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('desc_header_value', ['false', 'False', 'FALSE'])
+def test_list_items_desc_false_sync(httpserver: HTTPServer, desc_header_value: str) -> None:
+    httpserver.expect_request(ITEMS_PATH).respond_with_handler(
+        _make_list_items_handler(desc_header_value=desc_header_value),
+    )
+    api_url = httpserver.url_for('/').removesuffix('/')
+
+    client = ApifyClient(token='test-token', api_url=api_url)
+    result = client.dataset(DATASET_ID).list_items()
+
+    assert result.desc is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('desc_header_value', ['true', 'True', 'TRUE'])
+def test_list_items_desc_true_sync(httpserver: HTTPServer, desc_header_value: str) -> None:
+    httpserver.expect_request(ITEMS_PATH).respond_with_handler(
+        _make_list_items_handler(desc_header_value=desc_header_value),
+    )
+    api_url = httpserver.url_for('/').removesuffix('/')
+
+    client = ApifyClient(token='test-token', api_url=api_url)
+    result = client.dataset(DATASET_ID).list_items()
+
+    assert result.desc is True
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('desc_header_value', ['false', 'False', 'FALSE'])
+async def test_list_items_desc_false_async(httpserver: HTTPServer, desc_header_value: str) -> None:
+    httpserver.expect_request(ITEMS_PATH).respond_with_handler(
+        _make_list_items_handler(desc_header_value=desc_header_value),
+    )
+    api_url = httpserver.url_for('/').removesuffix('/')
+
+    client = ApifyClientAsync(token='test-token', api_url=api_url)
+    result = await client.dataset(DATASET_ID).list_items()
+
+    assert result.desc is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('desc_header_value', ['true', 'True', 'TRUE'])
+async def test_list_items_desc_true_async(httpserver: HTTPServer, desc_header_value: str) -> None:
+    httpserver.expect_request(ITEMS_PATH).respond_with_handler(
+        _make_list_items_handler(desc_header_value=desc_header_value),
+    )
+    api_url = httpserver.url_for('/').removesuffix('/')
+
+    client = ApifyClientAsync(token='test-token', api_url=api_url)
+    result = await client.dataset(DATASET_ID).list_items()
+
+    assert result.desc is True