diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index fa215efe99..5837ecae80 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ DEFAULT_MODULE_NAME       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'module_name',      None,
 DEFAULT_PATTERN           = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'pattern',          None,                       '*')
 DEFAULT_FORKS             = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'forks',            'ANSIBLE_FORKS',            5, integer=True)
 DEFAULT_MODULE_ARGS       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'module_args',      'ANSIBLE_MODULE_ARGS',      '')
-DEFAULT_MODULE_LANG       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'module_lang',      'ANSIBLE_MODULE_LANG',      'en_US.UTF-8')
+DEFAULT_MODULE_LANG       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'module_lang',      'ANSIBLE_MODULE_LANG',      os.getenv('LANG', 'en_US.UTF-8'))
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT           = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'timeout',          'ANSIBLE_TIMEOUT',          10, integer=True)
 DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL     = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'poll_interval',    'ANSIBLE_POLL_INTERVAL',    15, integer=True)
 DEFAULT_REMOTE_USER       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'remote_user',      'ANSIBLE_REMOTE_USER',      None)