diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Languages.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Languages.java
index c30512c32..70ce33981 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Languages.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Languages.java
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ public final class Languages {
         if (locale != null && TextUtils.equals(locale.getLanguage(), language) && (!refresh)) {
             return; // already configured
         } else if (language == null || language.equals(USE_SYSTEM_DEFAULT)) {
+            Preferences.get().clearLanguage();
             locale = DEFAULT_LOCALE;
         } else {
             /* handle locales with the country in it, i.e. zh_CN, zh_TW, etc */
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
index 85342f3ee..8609870a5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
@@ -230,7 +230,11 @@ public final class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceCh
     }
 
     public String getLanguage() {
-        return preferences.getString(Preferences.PREF_LANGUAGE, "");
+        return preferences.getString(Preferences.PREF_LANGUAGE, Languages.USE_SYSTEM_DEFAULT);
+    }
+
+    public void clearLanguage() {
+        preferences.edit().remove(Preferences.PREF_LANGUAGE).apply();
     }
 
     public String getLocalRepoName() {