diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/apps/backoffice/backoffice.element.ts b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/apps/backoffice/backoffice.element.ts
index c219994240..cdb63cdbb7 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/apps/backoffice/backoffice.element.ts
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/apps/backoffice/backoffice.element.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ export class UmbBackofficeElement extends UmbLitElement {
 				auth.languageIsoCode,
 				(currentLanguageIsoCode) => {
 					translationRegistry.loadLanguage(currentLanguageIsoCode);
-					document.documentElement.lang = currentLanguageIsoCode;
 				},
 				'languageIsoCode'
 			);
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/localize.controller.test.ts b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/localize.controller.test.ts
index 5e4b57e495..07bd99b59b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/localize.controller.test.ts
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/localize.controller.test.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ const english = {
 	name: 'Test English',
 	meta: {
 		culture: 'en-us',
+		direction: 'ltr',
 		translations: {
 			general: {
 				close: 'Close',
@@ -77,6 +78,14 @@ describe('UmbLocalizeController', () => {
 		expect(element.localize).to.be.instanceOf(UmbLocalizeController);
 	});
 
+	it('should have a default language', () => {
+		expect(element.localize.lang()).to.equal(english.meta.culture);
+	});
+
+	it('should have a default dir', () => {
+		expect(element.localize.dir()).to.equal(english.meta.direction);
+	});
+
 	describe('term', () => {
 		it('should return a term', async () => {
 			expect(element.localize.term('general_close')).to.equal('Close');
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/registry/translation.registry.ts b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/registry/translation.registry.ts
index 62d5c49b57..adda5ebd3e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/registry/translation.registry.ts
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/libs/localization-api/registry/translation.registry.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ export class UmbTranslationRegistry {
 								...innerDictionary,
 							};
 							registerTranslation(translation);
+
+							// Set the document language and direction.
+							document.documentElement.lang = translation.$code;
+							document.documentElement.dir = translation.$dir;
 						})
 				);
 			}