diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Upgrade/V_8_0_0/LanguageColumns.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Upgrade/V_8_0_0/LanguageColumns.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..18246ac14b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Upgrade/V_8_0_0/LanguageColumns.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+namespace Umbraco.Core.Migrations.Upgrade.V_8_0_0
+{
+    public class LanguageColumns : MigrationBase
+    {
+        protected LanguageColumns(IMigrationContext context) : base(context)
+        {
+        }
+
+        public override void Migrate()
+        {
+            Create.Column("isDefaultVariantLang").OnTable(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.Language).AsBoolean().NotNullable();
+            Create.Column("mandatory").OnTable(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.Language).AsBoolean().NotNullable();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Upgrade/V_8_0_0/SuperZero.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Upgrade/V_8_0_0/SuperZero.cs
index ba29880e79..3ea761016b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Upgrade/V_8_0_0/SuperZero.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Migrations/Upgrade/V_8_0_0/SuperZero.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 namespace Umbraco.Core.Migrations.Upgrade.V_8_0_0
 {
+
     public class SuperZero : MigrationBase
     {
         public SuperZero(IMigrationContext context)
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/ILanguage.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/ILanguage.cs
index 8eb9063302..23cef54180 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/ILanguage.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/ILanguage.cs
@@ -23,5 +23,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
         /// </summary>
         [IgnoreDataMember]
         CultureInfo CultureInfo { get; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Defines if this language is the default variant language when language variants are in use
+        /// </summary>
+        bool IsDefaultVariantLanguage { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// If true, a variant node cannot be published unless this language variant is created
+        /// </summary>
+        bool Mandatory { get; set; }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs
index 6dfe59778f..a143a8c457 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Models/Language.cs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
 
         private string _isoCode;
         private string _cultureName;
+        private bool _isDefaultVariantLanguage;
+        private bool _mandatory;
 
         public Language(string isoCode)
         {
@@ -28,6 +30,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
         {
             public readonly PropertyInfo IsoCodeSelector = ExpressionHelper.GetPropertyInfo<Language, string>(x => x.IsoCode);
             public readonly PropertyInfo CultureNameSelector = ExpressionHelper.GetPropertyInfo<Language, string>(x => x.CultureName);
+            public readonly PropertyInfo IsDefaultVariantLanguageSelector = ExpressionHelper.GetPropertyInfo<Language, bool>(x => x.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+            public readonly PropertyInfo MandatorySelector = ExpressionHelper.GetPropertyInfo<Language, bool>(x => x.Mandatory);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -55,5 +59,17 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Models
         /// </summary>
         [IgnoreDataMember]
         public CultureInfo CultureInfo => CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo(IsoCode);
+
+        public bool IsDefaultVariantLanguage
+        {
+            get => _isDefaultVariantLanguage;
+            set => SetPropertyValueAndDetectChanges(value, ref _isDefaultVariantLanguage, Ps.Value.IsDefaultVariantLanguageSelector);
+        }
+
+        public bool Mandatory
+        {
+            get => _mandatory;
+            set => SetPropertyValueAndDetectChanges(value, ref _mandatory, Ps.Value.MandatorySelector);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Dtos/LanguageDto.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Dtos/LanguageDto.cs
index 83745a2bfe..f88d9fbb5c 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Dtos/LanguageDto.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Dtos/LanguageDto.cs
@@ -22,5 +22,17 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Dtos
         [NullSetting(NullSetting = NullSettings.Null)]
         [Length(100)]
         public string CultureName { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Defines if this language is the default variant language when language variants are in use
+        /// </summary>
+        [Column("isDefaultVariantLang")]
+        public bool IsDefaultVariantLanguage { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// If true, a variant node cannot be published unless this language variant is created
+        /// </summary>
+        [Column("mandatory")]
+        public bool Mandatory { get; set; }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/LanguageFactory.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/LanguageFactory.cs
index f15313622b..f79dab1bbd 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/LanguageFactory.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Factories/LanguageFactory.cs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
     {
         public ILanguage BuildEntity(LanguageDto dto)
         {
-            var lang = new Language(dto.IsoCode) { CultureName = dto.CultureName, Id = dto.Id };
+            var lang = new Language(dto.IsoCode) { CultureName = dto.CultureName, Id = dto.Id, IsDefaultVariantLanguage = dto.IsDefaultVariantLanguage, Mandatory = dto.Mandatory };
             // reset dirty initial properties (U4-1946)
             lang.ResetDirtyProperties(false);
             return lang;
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Factories
 
         public LanguageDto BuildDto(ILanguage entity)
         {
-            var dto = new LanguageDto { CultureName = entity.CultureName, IsoCode = entity.IsoCode };
+            var dto = new LanguageDto { CultureName = entity.CultureName, IsoCode = entity.IsoCode, IsDefaultVariantLanguage = entity.IsDefaultVariantLanguage, Mandatory = entity.Mandatory };
             if (entity.HasIdentity)
                 dto.Id = short.Parse(entity.Id.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture));
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/LanguageRepository.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/LanguageRepository.cs
index 784191279d..1397d79ea8 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/LanguageRepository.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Persistence/Repositories/Implement/LanguageRepository.cs
@@ -107,6 +107,14 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories.Implement
         {
             ((EntityBase)entity).AddingEntity();
 
+            if (entity.IsDefaultVariantLanguage)
+            {
+                //if this entity is flagged as the default, we need to set all others to false
+                Database.Execute($"UPDATE {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.Language)} SET {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName("isDefaultVariantLang")} = 0");
+                //We need to clear the whole cache since all languages will be updated
+                IsolatedCache.ClearAllCache();
+            }
+
             var factory = new LanguageFactory();
             var dto = factory.BuildDto(entity);
 
@@ -114,12 +122,21 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Persistence.Repositories.Implement
             entity.Id = id;
 
             entity.ResetDirtyProperties();
+
         }
 
         protected override void PersistUpdatedItem(ILanguage entity)
         {
             ((EntityBase)entity).UpdatingEntity();
 
+            if (entity.IsDefaultVariantLanguage)
+            {
+                //if this entity is flagged as the default, we need to set all others to false
+                Database.Execute($"UPDATE {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName(Constants.DatabaseSchema.Tables.Language)} SET {SqlSyntax.GetQuotedColumnName("isDefaultVariantLang")} = 0");
+                //We need to clear the whole cache since all languages will be updated
+                IsolatedCache.ClearAllCache();
+            }
+
             var factory = new LanguageFactory();
             var dto = factory.BuildDto(entity);
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/LocalizationService.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/LocalizationService.cs
index 70103d9a06..1af053b787 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/LocalizationService.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Services/Implement/LocalizationService.cs
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Services.Implement
             }
         }
 
-        #region Event Handlers
+        #region Events
         /// <summary>
         /// Occurs before Delete
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Umbraco.Core.csproj b/src/Umbraco.Core/Umbraco.Core.csproj
index 00f1a85d79..7089d164bc 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Umbraco.Core.csproj
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Umbraco.Core.csproj
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@
     <Compile Include="KeyValuePairExtensions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Migrations\MigrationBase_Extra.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Migrations\Upgrade\V_8_0_0\DataTypeMigration.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Migrations\Upgrade\V_8_0_0\LanguageColumns.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Migrations\Upgrade\V_8_0_0\PropertyEditorsMigration.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Migrations\Upgrade\V_8_0_0\SuperZero.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Migrations\Upgrade\V_8_0_0\TagsMigration.cs" />
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Persistence/Repositories/LanguageRepositoryTest.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Persistence/Repositories/LanguageRepositoryTest.cs
index 3d0b484a50..0033c2524b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Persistence/Repositories/LanguageRepositoryTest.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Persistence/Repositories/LanguageRepositoryTest.cs
@@ -219,6 +219,59 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Persistence.Repositories
                 // Assert
                 Assert.That(languageBR.HasIdentity, Is.True);
                 Assert.That(languageBR.Id, Is.EqualTo(6)); //With 5 existing entries the Id should be 6
+                Assert.IsFalse(languageBR.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+                Assert.IsFalse(languageBR.Mandatory);
+            }
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Can_Perform_Add_On_LanguageRepository_With_Boolean_Properties()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var provider = TestObjects.GetScopeProvider(Logger);
+            using (var scope = provider.CreateScope())
+            {
+                var repository = CreateRepository(provider);
+
+                // Act
+                var languageBR = new Language("pt-BR") { CultureName = "pt-BR", IsDefaultVariantLanguage = true, Mandatory = true };
+                repository.Save(languageBR);
+
+                // Assert
+                Assert.That(languageBR.HasIdentity, Is.True);
+                Assert.That(languageBR.Id, Is.EqualTo(6)); //With 5 existing entries the Id should be 6
+                Assert.IsTrue(languageBR.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+                Assert.IsTrue(languageBR.Mandatory);
+            }
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Can_Perform_Add_On_LanguageRepository_With_New_Deafult()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var provider = TestObjects.GetScopeProvider(Logger);
+            using (var scope = provider.CreateScope())
+            {
+                var repository = CreateRepository(provider);
+                                
+                var languageBR = (ILanguage)new Language("pt-BR") { CultureName = "pt-BR", IsDefaultVariantLanguage = true, Mandatory = true };
+                repository.Save(languageBR);
+                var languageEN = new Language("en-AU") { CultureName = "en-AU" };
+                repository.Save(languageEN);
+
+                Assert.IsTrue(languageBR.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+                Assert.IsTrue(languageBR.Mandatory);
+
+                // Act
+
+                var languageNZ = new Language("en-NZ") { CultureName = "en-NZ", IsDefaultVariantLanguage = true, Mandatory = true };
+                repository.Save(languageNZ);
+                languageBR = repository.Get(languageBR.Id);
+
+                // Assert
+
+                Assert.IsFalse(languageBR.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+                Assert.IsTrue(languageNZ.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/LocalizationServiceTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/LocalizationServiceTests.cs
index b7f958cb8e..e39ebfee8e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/LocalizationServiceTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Services/LocalizationServiceTests.cs
@@ -364,6 +364,28 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Services
             Assert.NotNull(result);
         }
 
+        [Test]
+        public void Set_Default_Language()
+        {
+            var localizationService = ServiceContext.LocalizationService;
+            var language = new Core.Models.Language("en-AU");
+            language.IsDefaultVariantLanguage = true;
+            localizationService.Save(language);
+            var result = localizationService.GetLanguageById(language.Id);
+
+            Assert.IsTrue(result.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+
+            var language2 = new Core.Models.Language("en-NZ");
+            language2.IsDefaultVariantLanguage = true;
+            localizationService.Save(language2);
+            var result2 = localizationService.GetLanguageById(language2.Id);
+            //re-get
+            result = localizationService.GetLanguageById(language.Id);
+
+            Assert.IsTrue(result2.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+            Assert.IsFalse(result.IsDefaultVariantLanguage);
+        }
+
         [Test]
         public void Deleted_Language_Should_Not_Exist()
         {