diff --git a/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py b/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
index 1cb13e34..06010f7c 100644
--- a/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
+++ b/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
@@ -2031,10 +2031,10 @@ class MyForm(QtGui.QMainWindow):
                 self.settingsDialogInstance.ui.checkBoxStartInTray.isChecked()))
             shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'willinglysendtomobile', str(
                 self.settingsDialogInstance.ui.checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile.isChecked()))
-            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'overridelocale', str(
-                self.settingsDialogInstance.ui.checkBoxOverrideLocale.isChecked()))
-            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', str(
-                self.settingsDialogInstance.ui.lineEditUserLocale.text()))
+            
+            lang_ind = int(self.settingsDialogInstance.ui.languageComboBox.currentIndex())
+            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', languages[lang_ind])
+                
             if int(shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'port')) != int(self.settingsDialogInstance.ui.lineEditTCPPort.text()):
                 if not shared.safeConfigGetBoolean('bitmessagesettings', 'dontconnect'):
                     QMessageBox.about(self, _translate("MainWindow", "Restart"), _translate(
@@ -3045,10 +3045,13 @@ class settingsDialog(QtGui.QDialog):
             shared.config.getboolean('bitmessagesettings', 'startintray'))
         self.ui.checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile.setChecked(
             shared.safeConfigGetBoolean('bitmessagesettings', 'willinglysendtomobile'))
-        self.ui.checkBoxOverrideLocale.setChecked(
-            shared.safeConfigGetBoolean('bitmessagesettings', 'overridelocale'))
-        self.ui.lineEditUserLocale.setText(str(
-            shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale')))
+        
+        global languages 
+        languages = ['system','en','eo','fr','de','es','ru','en_pirate']
+        
+        user_countrycode = str(shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale'))
+        self.ui.languageComboBox.setCurrentIndex(languages.index(user_countrycode))
+        
         if shared.appdata == '':
             self.ui.checkBoxPortableMode.setChecked(True)
         if 'darwin' in sys.platform:
@@ -3413,40 +3416,45 @@ def run():
     app = QtGui.QApplication(sys.argv)
     translator = QtCore.QTranslator()
     
-    local_countrycode = str(locale.getdefaultlocale()[0])
-    locale_lang = local_countrycode[0:2]
+    locale_countrycode = str(locale.getdefaultlocale()[0])
+    locale_lang = locale_countrycode[0:2]
     user_countrycode = str(shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale'))
     user_lang = user_countrycode[0:2]
     translation_path = "translations/bitmessage_"
     
-    if shared.config.getboolean('bitmessagesettings', 'overridelocale') == True:
-        # try the userinput if "overwridelanguage" is checked
+    if shared.config.get('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale') == 'system':
+        # try to detect the users locale otherwise fallback to English
         try:
-            # check if the user input is a valid translation file
-            # this would also capture weird "countrycodes" like "en_pirate" or just "pirate"
+            # try the users full locale, e.g. 'en_US':
+            # since we usually only provide languages, not localozations
+            # this will usually fail
+            translator.load(translation_path + locale_countrycode)
+        except:
+            try:
+                # try the users locale language, e.g. 'en':
+                # since we usually only provide languages, not localozations
+                # this will usually succeed
+                translator.load(translation_path + locale_lang)
+            except:
+                # as English is already the default language, we don't
+                # need to do anything. No need to translate.
+                pass
+    else:
+        try:
+            # check if the user input is a valid translation file:
+            # since user_countrycode will be usually set by the combobox
+            # it will usually just be a language code
             translator.load(translation_path + user_countrycode)
         except:
             try:
-                # check if the user lang is a valid translation file
-                # in some cases this won't make sense, e.g. trying "pi" from "pirate"
+                # check if the user lang is a valid translation file:
+                # this is only needed if the user manually set his 'userlocale'
+                # in the keys.dat to a countrycode (e.g. 'de_CH')
                 translator.load(translation_path + user_lang)
             except:
-                # The above is not compatible with all versions of OSX.
-                # Don't have language either, default to 'Merica USA! USA!
-                translator.load("translations/bitmessage_en_US") # Default to english.
-    else:
-        # try the userinput if "overridelanguage" is checked
-        try:
-            # check if the user input is a valid translation file
-            translator.load(translation_path + local_countrycode)
-        except:
-            try:
-                # check if the user lang is a valid translation file
-                translator.load(translation_path + locale_lang)
-            except:
-                # The above is not compatible with all versions of OSX.
-                # Don't have language either, default to 'Merica USA! USA!
-                translator.load("translations/bitmessage_en_US") # Default to english.
+                # as English is already the default language, we don't
+                # need to do anything. No need to translate.
+                pass
 
     QtGui.QApplication.installTranslator(translator)
     app.setStyleSheet("QStatusBar::item { border: 0px solid black }")
diff --git a/src/bitmessageqt/settings.py b/src/bitmessageqt/settings.py
index 8d2cf677..bd7d0240 100644
--- a/src/bitmessageqt/settings.py
+++ b/src/bitmessageqt/settings.py
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 # Form implementation generated from reading ui file 'settings.ui'
 #
-# Created: Wed Aug 14 18:31:34 2013
-#      by: PyQt4 UI code generator 4.10
+# Created: Sat Aug 24 08:28:46 2013
+#      by: PyQt4 UI code generator 4.10.2
 #
 # WARNING! All changes made in this file will be lost!
 
@@ -41,63 +41,66 @@ class Ui_settingsDialog(object):
         self.tabUserInterface.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("tabUserInterface"))
         self.gridLayout_5 = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.tabUserInterface)
         self.gridLayout_5.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("gridLayout_5"))
-        self.labelSettingsNote = QtGui.QLabel(self.tabUserInterface)
-        self.labelSettingsNote.setText(_fromUtf8(""))
-        self.labelSettingsNote.setWordWrap(True)
-        self.labelSettingsNote.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("labelSettingsNote"))
-        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.labelSettingsNote, 7, 0, 1, 1)
-        spacerItem = QtGui.QSpacerItem(20, 40, QtGui.QSizePolicy.Minimum, QtGui.QSizePolicy.Expanding)
-        self.gridLayout_5.addItem(spacerItem, 8, 0, 1, 1)
-        self.checkBoxStartInTray = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
-        self.checkBoxStartInTray.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxStartInTray"))
-        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxStartInTray, 1, 0, 1, 1)
-        self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
-        self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxShowTrayNotifications"))
-        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications, 3, 0, 1, 1)
         self.checkBoxMinimizeToTray = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
         self.checkBoxMinimizeToTray.setChecked(True)
         self.checkBoxMinimizeToTray.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxMinimizeToTray"))
         self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxMinimizeToTray, 2, 0, 1, 1)
-        self.label_7 = QtGui.QLabel(self.tabUserInterface)
-        self.label_7.setWordWrap(True)
-        self.label_7.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("label_7"))
-        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.label_7, 5, 0, 1, 1)
+        spacerItem = QtGui.QSpacerItem(20, 40, QtGui.QSizePolicy.Minimum, QtGui.QSizePolicy.Expanding)
+        self.gridLayout_5.addItem(spacerItem, 10, 0, 1, 1)
         self.checkBoxStartOnLogon = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
         self.checkBoxStartOnLogon.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxStartOnLogon"))
         self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxStartOnLogon, 0, 0, 1, 1)
+        self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
+        self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxShowTrayNotifications"))
+        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications, 3, 0, 1, 1)
         self.checkBoxPortableMode = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
         self.checkBoxPortableMode.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxPortableMode"))
         self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxPortableMode, 4, 0, 1, 1)
+        self.checkBoxStartInTray = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
+        self.checkBoxStartInTray.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxStartInTray"))
+        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxStartInTray, 1, 0, 1, 1)
+        self.PortableModeDescription = QtGui.QLabel(self.tabUserInterface)
+        self.PortableModeDescription.setWordWrap(True)
+        self.PortableModeDescription.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("PortableModeDescription"))
+        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.PortableModeDescription, 5, 0, 1, 2)
         self.checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
         self.checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile"))
-        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile, 6, 0, 1, 1)
-        self.checkBoxOverrideLocale = QtGui.QCheckBox(self.tabUserInterface)
-        self.checkBoxOverrideLocale.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("checkBoxOverrideLocale"))
-        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxOverrideLocale, 7, 0, 1, 1)
-        self.lineEditUserLocale = QtGui.QLineEdit(self.tabUserInterface)
-        self.lineEditUserLocale.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("lineEditUserLocale"))
-        self.lineEditUserLocale.setMaximumSize(QtCore.QSize(70, 16777215))
-        self.lineEditUserLocale.setEnabled(False)
-        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.lineEditUserLocale, 7, 1, 1, 1)
+        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile, 6, 0, 1, 2)
+        self.groupBox = QtGui.QGroupBox(self.tabUserInterface)
+        self.groupBox.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("groupBox"))
+        self.horizontalLayout_2 = QtGui.QHBoxLayout(self.groupBox)
+        self.horizontalLayout_2.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("horizontalLayout_2"))
+        self.languageComboBox = QtGui.QComboBox(self.groupBox)
+        self.languageComboBox.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("languageComboBox"))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.languageComboBox.addItem(_fromUtf8(""))
+        self.horizontalLayout_2.addWidget(self.languageComboBox)
+        self.gridLayout_5.addWidget(self.groupBox, 10, 1, 1, 1)
         self.tabWidgetSettings.addTab(self.tabUserInterface, _fromUtf8(""))
         self.tabNetworkSettings = QtGui.QWidget()
         self.tabNetworkSettings.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("tabNetworkSettings"))
         self.gridLayout_4 = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.tabNetworkSettings)
         self.gridLayout_4.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("gridLayout_4"))
-        self.groupBox = QtGui.QGroupBox(self.tabNetworkSettings)
-        self.groupBox.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("groupBox"))
-        self.gridLayout_3 = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.groupBox)
+        self.groupBox1 = QtGui.QGroupBox(self.tabNetworkSettings)
+        self.groupBox1.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("groupBox1"))
+        self.gridLayout_3 = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.groupBox1)
         self.gridLayout_3.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("gridLayout_3"))
         spacerItem1 = QtGui.QSpacerItem(125, 20, QtGui.QSizePolicy.Expanding, QtGui.QSizePolicy.Minimum)
         self.gridLayout_3.addItem(spacerItem1, 0, 0, 1, 1)
-        self.label = QtGui.QLabel(self.groupBox)
+        self.label = QtGui.QLabel(self.groupBox1)
         self.label.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("label"))
         self.gridLayout_3.addWidget(self.label, 0, 1, 1, 1)
-        self.lineEditTCPPort = QtGui.QLineEdit(self.groupBox)
+        self.lineEditTCPPort = QtGui.QLineEdit(self.groupBox1)
         self.lineEditTCPPort.setMaximumSize(QtCore.QSize(70, 16777215))
         self.lineEditTCPPort.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("lineEditTCPPort"))
         self.gridLayout_3.addWidget(self.lineEditTCPPort, 0, 2, 1, 1)
-        self.gridLayout_4.addWidget(self.groupBox, 0, 0, 1, 1)
+        self.gridLayout_4.addWidget(self.groupBox1, 0, 0, 1, 1)
         self.groupBox_2 = QtGui.QGroupBox(self.tabNetworkSettings)
         self.groupBox_2.setObjectName(_fromUtf8("groupBox_2"))
         self.gridLayout_2 = QtGui.QGridLayout(self.groupBox_2)
@@ -313,7 +316,6 @@ class Ui_settingsDialog(object):
         self.tabWidgetSettings.setCurrentIndex(0)
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.buttonBox, QtCore.SIGNAL(_fromUtf8("accepted()")), settingsDialog.accept)
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.buttonBox, QtCore.SIGNAL(_fromUtf8("rejected()")), settingsDialog.reject)
-        QtCore.QObject.connect(self.checkBoxOverrideLocale, QtCore.SIGNAL(_fromUtf8("toggled(bool)")), self.lineEditUserLocale.setEnabled)
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.checkBoxAuthentication, QtCore.SIGNAL(_fromUtf8("toggled(bool)")), self.lineEditSocksUsername.setEnabled)
         QtCore.QObject.connect(self.checkBoxAuthentication, QtCore.SIGNAL(_fromUtf8("toggled(bool)")), self.lineEditSocksPassword.setEnabled)
         QtCore.QMetaObject.connectSlotsByName(settingsDialog)
@@ -333,16 +335,24 @@ class Ui_settingsDialog(object):
 
     def retranslateUi(self, settingsDialog):
         settingsDialog.setWindowTitle(_translate("settingsDialog", "Settings", None))
-        self.checkBoxStartInTray.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Start Bitmessage in the tray (don\'t show main window)", None))
-        self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Show notification when message received", None))
         self.checkBoxMinimizeToTray.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Minimize to tray", None))
-        self.label_7.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "In Portable Mode, messages and config files are stored in the same directory as the program rather than the normal application-data folder. This makes it convenient to run Bitmessage from a USB thumb drive.", None))
         self.checkBoxStartOnLogon.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Start Bitmessage on user login", None))
+        self.checkBoxShowTrayNotifications.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Show notification when message received", None))
         self.checkBoxPortableMode.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Run in Portable Mode", None))
+        self.checkBoxStartInTray.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Start Bitmessage in the tray (don\'t show main window)", None))
+        self.PortableModeDescription.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "In Portable Mode, messages and config files are stored in the same directory as the program rather than the normal application-data folder. This makes it convenient to run Bitmessage from a USB thumb drive.", None))
         self.checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Willingly include unencrypted destination address when sending to a mobile device", None))
-        self.checkBoxOverrideLocale.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Override automatic language localization (use countycode or language code, e.g. 'en_US' or 'en'):", None))
+        self.groupBox.setTitle(_translate("settingsDialog", "Interface Language", None))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(0, _translate("settingsDialog", "System Settings", "system"))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(1, _translate("settingsDialog", "English", "en"))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(2, _translate("settingsDialog", "Esperanto", "eo"))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(3, _translate("settingsDialog", "French", "fr"))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(4, _translate("settingsDialog", "German", "de"))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(5, _translate("settingsDialog", "Spanish", "es"))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(6, _translate("settingsDialog", "Russian", "ru"))
+        self.languageComboBox.setItemText(7, _translate("settingsDialog", "Pirate English", "en_pirate"))
         self.tabWidgetSettings.setTabText(self.tabWidgetSettings.indexOf(self.tabUserInterface), _translate("settingsDialog", "User Interface", None))
-        self.groupBox.setTitle(_translate("settingsDialog", "Listening port", None))
+        self.groupBox1.setTitle(_translate("settingsDialog", "Listening port", None))
         self.label.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Listen for connections on port:", None))
         self.groupBox_2.setTitle(_translate("settingsDialog", "Proxy server / Tor", None))
         self.label_2.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "Type:", None))
@@ -377,3 +387,13 @@ class Ui_settingsDialog(object):
         self.radioButtonNamecoinNmcontrol.setText(_translate("settingsDialog", "NMControl", None))
         self.tabWidgetSettings.setTabText(self.tabWidgetSettings.indexOf(self.tabNamecoin), _translate("settingsDialog", "Namecoin integration", None))
 
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import sys
+    app = QtGui.QApplication(sys.argv)
+    settingsDialog = QtGui.QDialog()
+    ui = Ui_settingsDialog()
+    ui.setupUi(settingsDialog)
+    settingsDialog.show()
+    sys.exit(app.exec_())
+
diff --git a/src/bitmessageqt/settings.ui b/src/bitmessageqt/settings.ui
index 0ca22088..abacd30f 100644
--- a/src/bitmessageqt/settings.ui
+++ b/src/bitmessageqt/settings.ui
@@ -37,17 +37,17 @@
        <string>User Interface</string>
       </attribute>
       <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_5">
-       <item row="7" column="0">
-        <widget class="QLabel" name="labelSettingsNote">
+       <item row="2" column="0">
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxMinimizeToTray">
          <property name="text">
-          <string/>
+          <string>Minimize to tray</string>
          </property>
-         <property name="wordWrap">
+         <property name="checked">
           <bool>true</bool>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="8" column="0">
+       <item row="10" column="0">
         <spacer name="verticalSpacer_2">
          <property name="orientation">
           <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -60,10 +60,10 @@
          </property>
         </spacer>
        </item>
-       <item row="1" column="0">
-        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxStartInTray">
+       <item row="0" column="0">
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxStartOnLogon">
          <property name="text">
-          <string>Start Bitmessage in the tray (don't show main window)</string>
+          <string>Start Bitmessage on user login</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
@@ -74,18 +74,22 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="2" column="0">
-        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxMinimizeToTray">
+       <item row="4" column="0">
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxPortableMode">
          <property name="text">
-          <string>Minimize to tray</string>
-         </property>
-         <property name="checked">
-          <bool>true</bool>
+          <string>Run in Portable Mode</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="5" column="0">
-        <widget class="QLabel" name="label_7">
+       <item row="1" column="0">
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxStartInTray">
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Start Bitmessage in the tray (don't show main window)</string>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
+       <item row="5" column="0" colspan="2">
+        <widget class="QLabel" name="PortableModeDescription">
          <property name="text">
           <string>In Portable Mode, messages and config files are stored in the same directory as the program rather than the normal application-data folder. This makes it convenient to run Bitmessage from a USB thumb drive.</string>
          </property>
@@ -94,27 +98,66 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="0" column="0">
-        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxStartOnLogon">
-         <property name="text">
-          <string>Start Bitmessage on user login</string>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
-       <item row="4" column="0">
-        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxPortableMode">
-         <property name="text">
-          <string>Run in Portable Mode</string>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
-       <item row="6" column="0">
+       <item row="6" column="0" colspan="2">
         <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxWillinglySendToMobile">
          <property name="text">
           <string>Willingly include unencrypted destination address when sending to a mobile device</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item row="10" column="1">
+        <widget class="QGroupBox" name="groupBox">
+         <property name="title">
+          <string>Interface Language</string>
+         </property>
+         <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_2">
+          <item>
+           <widget class="QComboBox" name="languageComboBox">
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="system">System Settings</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="en">English</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="eo">Esperanto</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="fr">French</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="de">German</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="es">Spanish</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="ru">Russian</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <property name="text">
+              <string comment="en_pirate">Pirate English</string>
+             </property>
+            </item>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
+         </layout>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
       </layout>
      </widget>
      <widget class="QWidget" name="tabNetworkSettings">
diff --git a/src/helper_startup.py b/src/helper_startup.py
index 67ae8d8c..24dc0156 100644
--- a/src/helper_startup.py
+++ b/src/helper_startup.py
@@ -70,15 +70,7 @@ def loadConfig():
             shared.config.set(
                 'bitmessagesettings', 'maxacceptablepayloadlengthextrabytes', '0')
             shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'dontconnect', 'true')
-            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'overridelocale', 'false')
-            try:
-                # this should set the userdefined locale to the default locale
-                # like this, the user will know his default locale
-                shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', str(locale.getdefaultlocale()[0]))
-            except:
-                # if we cannot determine the default locale let's default to english
-                # they user might use this as an country code
-                shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', 'en_US')
+            shared.config.set('bitmessagesettings', 'userlocale', 'system')
             ensureNamecoinOptions()
 
             if storeConfigFilesInSameDirectoryAsProgramByDefault:
diff --git a/src/translations/bitmessage_en_pirate.ts b/src/translations/bitmessage_en_pirate.ts
index a0311eba..496b7d64 100644
--- a/src/translations/bitmessage_en_pirate.ts
+++ b/src/translations/bitmessage_en_pirate.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <!DOCTYPE TS>
-<TS version="2.0" language="en_US" sourcelanguage="en">
+<TS version="2.0" language="en_pirate" sourcelanguage="en">
 <context>
     <name>MainWindow</name>
     <message>
diff --git a/src/translations/bitmessage_fr.pro~HEAD b/src/translations/bitmessage_fr.pro
similarity index 100%
rename from src/translations/bitmessage_fr.pro~HEAD
rename to src/translations/bitmessage_fr.pro