diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
index eaf78076f..455299b50 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ public class NearbyController extends MapController {
      */
     public List<Place> getPlaces(List<Place> placeList) throws Exception {
         String secondaryLanguages = defaultKvStore.getString(Prefs.SECONDARY_LANGUAGES, "");
-        return nearbyPlaces.getPlaces(placeList, Locale.getDefault().getLanguage(), secondaryLanguages);
+        String primaryLanguage = defaultKvStore.getString(Prefs.DESCRIPTION_LANGUAGE, "");
+        return nearbyPlaces.getPlaces(placeList, primaryLanguage, secondaryLanguages);
     }
 
     public static LatLng calculateNorthEast(double latitude, double longitude, double distance) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/settings/SettingsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/settings/SettingsFragment.kt
index 5023a097f..dc12dc281 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/settings/SettingsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/settings/SettingsFragment.kt
@@ -309,14 +309,23 @@ class SettingsFragment : PreferenceFragmentCompat() {
 
     private fun prepareSecondaryLanguagesDialog() {
         val languageCode = getCurrentLanguageCode("descriptionSecondaryLanguagesPref")
+        val defaultCode = getCurrentLanguageCode("descriptionDefaultLanguagePref")
         val selectedLanguages = hashMapOf<Int, String>()
+
+        var deflocale = Locale.getDefault()
+
+
+        if (defaultCode != null){
+            deflocale = createLocale(defaultCode)
+        }
+
         languageCode?.let {
-            selectedLanguages[0] = Locale.getDefault().language
+            selectedLanguages[0] = deflocale.language
         }
 
         val savedLanguages = arrayListOf<Language>()
         languageCode?.split(",\\s*".toRegex())?.forEach { code ->
-            if (code != Locale.getDefault().language) {
+            if (code != deflocale.language) {
                 val locale = Locale(code)
                 savedLanguages.add(Language(locale.displayLanguage, code))
             }