diff --git a/src/lib/common/I18N.cpp b/src/lib/common/I18N.cpp
index 2c192aba2..a60bca666 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/I18N.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/common/I18N.cpp
@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@ I18N::I18N(QObject *parent) : QObject{parent}
       QCoreApplication::installTranslator(appTranslator);
     }
 
-    m_currentLang = appTranslator->translate("i18n", "LocalizedName");
+    m_currentLang = m_nameMap.key(appTranslator->translate("i18n", "LocalizedName"));
     if (m_currentLang.isEmpty())
-      m_currentLang = QStringLiteral("English");
+      m_currentLang = QStringLiteral("en");
 
     auto qtTranslator = new QTranslator(this);
     if (qtTranslator->load(QLocale(), QStringLiteral("qt"), s_prefix, m_qtTrPath)) {
diff --git a/src/unittests/common/I18NTests.cpp b/src/unittests/common/I18NTests.cpp
index d08865a87..8b6511eb0 100644
--- a/src/unittests/common/I18NTests.cpp
+++ b/src/unittests/common/I18NTests.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ void I18NTests::toNativeNameTest()
 
 void I18NTests::setLangTest()
 {
+  // make sure we are not staring with our language set to the maps first value
+  // ensures a languageChanged signal will be emited for each itteration of the testing loop
+  I18N::setLanguage(m_langMap.value(m_langMap.lastKey()));
   QSignalSpy spy(I18N::instance(), &I18N::languageChanged);
   for (const auto &lang : m_langMap.values()) {
     I18N::setLanguage(lang);