diff --git a/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.cpp b/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.cpp
index b6bc22a3d..8c79a53ca 100644
--- a/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.cpp
+++ b/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.cpp
@@ -491,6 +491,14 @@ namespace crypto
       return "<language not found>";
     }
 
+    bool is_valid_language(const std::string &language)
+    {
+      const std::vector<const Language::Base*> language_instances = get_language_list();
+      for (std::vector<const Language::Base*>::const_iterator it = language_instances.begin(); it != language_instances.end(); it++)
+        if ((*it)->get_english_language_name() == language || (*it)->get_language_name() == language)
+          return true;
+      return false;
+    }
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.h b/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.h
index 8d4c5be66..eb0c99e0b 100644
--- a/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.h
+++ b/src/mnemonics/electrum-words.h
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ namespace crypto
      * \return      the name of the language in English
      */
     std::string get_english_name_for(const std::string &name);
+
+    bool is_valid_language(const std::string &language);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server.cpp
index b09e24d31..1af832bb3 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server.cpp
@@ -3154,17 +3154,7 @@ namespace tools
     }
     std::string wallet_file = req.filename.empty() ? "" : (m_wallet_dir + "/" + req.filename);
     {
-      std::vector<std::string> languages;
-      crypto::ElectrumWords::get_language_list(languages, false);
-      std::vector<std::string>::iterator it;
-
-      it = std::find(languages.begin(), languages.end(), req.language);
-      if (it == languages.end())
-      {
-        crypto::ElectrumWords::get_language_list(languages, true);
-        it = std::find(languages.begin(), languages.end(), req.language);
-      }
-      if (it == languages.end())
+      if (!crypto::ElectrumWords::is_valid_language(req.language))
       {
         er.code = WALLET_RPC_ERROR_CODE_UNKNOWN_ERROR;
         er.message = "Unknown language: " + req.language;
@@ -3582,6 +3572,17 @@ namespace tools
       return false;
     }
 
+    if (!req.language.empty())
+    {
+      if (!crypto::ElectrumWords::is_valid_language(req.language))
+      {
+        er.code = WALLET_RPC_ERROR_CODE_UNKNOWN_ERROR;
+        er.message = "The specified seed language is invalid.";
+        return false;
+      }
+      wal->set_seed_language(req.language);
+    }
+
     // set blockheight if given
     try
     {
@@ -3725,12 +3726,7 @@ namespace tools
         er.message = "Wallet was using the old seed language. You need to specify a new seed language.";
         return false;
       }
-      std::vector<std::string> language_list;
-      std::vector<std::string> language_list_en;
-      crypto::ElectrumWords::get_language_list(language_list);
-      crypto::ElectrumWords::get_language_list(language_list_en, true);
-      if (std::find(language_list.begin(), language_list.end(), req.language) == language_list.end() &&
-          std::find(language_list_en.begin(), language_list_en.end(), req.language) == language_list_en.end())
+      if (!crypto::ElectrumWords::is_valid_language(req.language))
       {
         er.code = WALLET_RPC_ERROR_CODE_UNKNOWN_ERROR;
         er.message = "Wallet was using the old seed language, and the specified new seed language is invalid.";
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server_commands_defs.h b/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server_commands_defs.h
index abc7702f7..0002508a2 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server_commands_defs.h
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet_rpc_server_commands_defs.h
@@ -2214,6 +2214,7 @@ namespace wallet_rpc
       std::string viewkey;
       std::string password;
       bool autosave_current;
+      std::string language;
 
       BEGIN_KV_SERIALIZE_MAP()
       KV_SERIALIZE_OPT(restore_height, (uint64_t)0)
@@ -2223,6 +2224,7 @@ namespace wallet_rpc
       KV_SERIALIZE(viewkey)
       KV_SERIALIZE(password)
       KV_SERIALIZE_OPT(autosave_current, true)
+      KV_SERIALIZE(language)
       END_KV_SERIALIZE_MAP()
     };