diff --git a/wicd/misc.py b/wicd/misc.py
index 0f22f49..daa1110 100644
--- a/wicd/misc.py
+++ b/wicd/misc.py
@@ -313,16 +313,20 @@ def get_gettext():
     # http://www.learningpython.com/2006/12/03/translating-your-pythonpygtk-application/
     local_path = wpath.translations
     langs = []
+    osLanguage = os.environ.get('LANGUAGE', None)
+    if osLanguage:
+        langs += osLanguage.split(":")
+    osLanguage = None
+    osLanguage = os.environ.get('LC_MESSAGES', None)
+    if osLanguage:
+        langs += osLanguage.split(":")
     try:
         lc, encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()
     except ValueError, e:
         print str(e)
         print "Default locale unavailable, falling back to en_US"
     if (lc):
-        langs = [lc]
-    osLanguage = os.environ.get('LANGUAGE', None)
-    if (osLanguage):
-        langs += osLanguage.split(":")
+        langs += [lc]
     langs += ["en_US"]
     lang = gettext.translation('wicd', local_path, languages=langs, 
                                fallback=True)