diff --git a/client/src/app/galaxy.js b/client/src/app/galaxy.js
index 86dd4f59728..e0725c1b864 100644
--- a/client/src/app/galaxy.js
+++ b/client/src/app/galaxy.js
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ GalaxyApp.prototype._init = function (options, bootstrapped) {
     this._initUser(options.user || {});
     this.debug("GalaxyApp.user: ", this.user);
 
-    this._initUserLocale();
+    this.localize._setUserLocale(this.user, this.config);
+    this.localize._getUserLocale();
     this.debug("currentLocale: ", sessionStorage.getItem("currentLocale"));
 
     this._setUpListeners();
diff --git a/client/src/utils/localization.js b/client/src/utils/localization.js
index b8f81892334..6722793f3de 100644
--- a/client/src/utils/localization.js
+++ b/client/src/utils/localization.js
@@ -1,23 +1,5 @@
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-undef
 define(["i18n!nls/locale"], function (localeStrings) {
-    // =============================================================================
-    /** Simple string replacement localization. Language data from src/nls */
-
-    if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(localeStrings, "__root")) {
-        //console.debug( 'amdi18n+webpack localization for ' + locale + ' loaded' );
-
-        const locale = sessionStorage.getItem("currentLocale");
-
-        if (locale) {
-            localeStrings =
-                localeStrings["__" + locale] || localeStrings["__" + locale.split("-")[0]] || localeStrings.__root;
-        }
-
-        // } else {
-        //     console.debug( 'i18n+requirejs localization for ' + locale + ' loaded' );
-    }
-    // TODO: when this is no longer necessary remove this, i18n.js, and the resolveModule in config
-
     // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     /** Attempt to get a localized string for strToLocalize. If not found, return
      *      the original strToLocalize.
@@ -42,6 +24,56 @@ define(["i18n!nls/locale"], function (localeStrings) {
     };
     localize.cacheNonLocalized = false;
 
+    localize._setUserLocale = function _setUserLocale(user, config) {
+        // Choose best locale
+        const global_locale =
+            config.default_locale && config.default_locale != "auto" ? config.default_locale.toLowerCase() : false;
+
+        let extra_user_preferences = {};
+        if (user && user.attributes.preferences && "extra_user_preferences" in user.attributes.preferences) {
+            extra_user_preferences = JSON.parse(user.attributes.preferences.extra_user_preferences);
+        }
+
+        let user_locale =
+            "localization|locale" in extra_user_preferences
+                ? extra_user_preferences["localization|locale"].toLowerCase()
+                : false;
+
+        if (user_locale == "auto") {
+            user_locale = false;
+        }
+
+        const nav_locale =
+            typeof navigator === "undefined"
+                ? "__root"
+                : (navigator.language || navigator.userLanguage || "__root").toLowerCase();
+
+        const locale = user_locale || nav_locale || global_locale;
+
+        sessionStorage.setItem("currentLocale", locale);
+    };
+    // =============================================================================
+    /** Simple string replacement localization. Language data from src/nls */
+
+    localize._getUserLocale = function _getUserLocale(user, config) {
+        let locale = null;
+        if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(localeStrings, "__root")) {
+            //console.debug( 'amdi18n+webpack localization for ' + locale + ' loaded' );
+
+            locale = sessionStorage.getItem("currentLocale");
+
+            if (locale) {
+                localeStrings =
+                    localeStrings["__" + locale] || localeStrings["__" + locale.split("-")[0]] || localeStrings.__root;
+            }
+
+            // } else {
+            //     console.debug( 'i18n+requirejs localization for ' + locale + ' loaded' );
+        }
+        return locale;
+        // TODO: when this is no longer necessary remove this, i18n.js, and the resolveModule in config
+    };
+
     // =============================================================================
     return localize;
 });