diff --git a/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/MainActivity.kt b/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/MainActivity.kt
index 7c37f795..45a2c213 100644
--- a/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/MainActivity.kt
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ class MainActivity : SudoqCompatActivity() {
         //load language from memory
         val fromConf = getConfLocale(this)
         if (fromConf != currentLanguageCode!!.language) {
+            //language has been changed so we need to restart this activity
+            //so that the new language is applied to it
             Log.d("lang", "refresh because $currentLanguageCode -> $fromConf")
             val refresh = Intent(this, this.javaClass)
             finish()
diff --git a/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageSetting.kt b/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageSetting.kt
index 396013d0..f7ad1d16 100644
--- a/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageSetting.kt
+++ b/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageSetting.kt
@@ -10,8 +10,20 @@ class LanguageSetting {
     }
 
     //may never be system!
-    @JvmField
     var language: LanguageCode
+       get() {
+           if (language == LanguageCode.system)
+               throw java.lang.IllegalStateException("LanguageSetting.language is 'system'. This is not allowed")
+           else
+               return language
+       }
+       set(value) {
+           if (value == LanguageCode.system)
+               throw java.lang.IllegalArgumentException("LanguageSetting.language may not be set to 'system'.")
+
+           language = value
+       }
+
     var isSystemLanguage: Boolean
         private set
 
diff --git a/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageUtility.kt b/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageUtility.kt
index 903bb6af..aebdf8fb 100644
--- a/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageUtility.kt
+++ b/sudoq-app/sudoqapp/src/main/kotlin/de/sudoq/controller/menus/preferences/LanguageUtility.kt
@@ -45,19 +45,31 @@ object LanguageUtility {
     /* save language to enum */
     @JvmStatic
     fun loadLanguageFromLocale(): LanguageCode {
-        val code = Locale.getDefault().language
+        val code = Locale.getDefault().language //TODO won't this always return en?
         LanguageCode.values().forEach { if (it.name == code) return it}
         return LanguageCode.en
     }
 
+    //can be 'system'
     @JvmStatic
     fun getConfLocale(a: Activity): LanguageCode {
         val res = a.resources
         val conf = res.configuration
         val code = conf.locale.language
-        return LanguageCode.valueOf(code)
+
+        val unmaintainedLang = !LanguageCode.values()
+            .map { it.name }
+            .contains(code)
+
+        return if (unmaintainedLang) {
+            Log.e("lang","Inexplicably, the language loaded from conf is $code, defaulting to 'system'")
+            LanguageCode.system
+        } else{
+            LanguageCode.valueOf(code)
+        }
     }
 
+    //can be 'system'
     @JvmStatic
     fun setConfLocale(lang: String, a: Activity) {
         Log.i("lang", "setLocale( " + lang + ", " + a.javaClass.simpleName + ")")