diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/I18nUtil.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/I18nUtil.java
index a28c3d8c98..1843c5172e 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/I18nUtil.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/core/I18nUtil.java
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@
 
 package org.dspace.core;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
+import org.dspace.eperson.EPerson;
+
 import java.io.File;
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.MissingResourceException;
@@ -62,6 +66,8 @@ import java.util.StringTokenizer;
 
 public class I18nUtil
 {
+    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(I18nUtil.class);
+    
     // the default Locale of this DSpace Instance
     public static final Locale DEFAULTLOCALE = getDefaultLocale();
 
@@ -110,6 +116,32 @@ public class I18nUtil
         return defaultLocale;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get the Locale for a specified EPerson. If the language is missing,
+     * return the default Locale for the repository.
+     * 
+     * @param ep
+     * @return
+     */
+    public static Locale getEPersonLocale(EPerson ep)
+    {
+        if (ep == null)
+        {
+            log.error("No EPerson specified, returning default locale");
+            return I18nUtil.getDefaultLocale();
+        }
+
+        String lang = ep.getLanguage();
+        
+        if (StringUtils.isBlank(lang))
+        {
+            log.error("No language specified for EPerson " + ep.getID());
+            return I18nUtil.getDefaultLocale();
+        }
+
+        return I18nUtil.getSupportedLocale(new Locale(lang));
+    }
+
     /**
      * get the available Locales for the User Interface as defined in dspace.cfg
      * returns an array of Locales or null
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Subscribe.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Subscribe.java
index da27a14011..83d742db56 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Subscribe.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/eperson/Subscribe.java
@@ -327,8 +327,7 @@ public class Subscribe
             SQLException
     {
         // Get a resource bundle according to the eperson language preferences
-        Locale epersonLocale = new Locale(eperson.getLanguage());
-        Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getSupportedLocale(epersonLocale);
+        Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getEPersonLocale(eperson); 
         ResourceBundle labels =  ResourceBundle.getBundle("Messages", supportedLocale);
         
         // Get the start and end dates for yesterday
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowManager.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowManager.java
index 970239b779..a3459d87cb 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowManager.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/workflow/WorkflowManager.java
@@ -667,8 +667,7 @@ public class WorkflowManager
             // Get submitter
             EPerson ep = i.getSubmitter();
             // Get the Locale
-            Locale epLocale = new Locale(ep.getLanguage());
-            Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getSupportedLocale(epLocale);
+            Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getEPersonLocale(ep);
             Email email = ConfigurationManager.getEmail(I18nUtil.getEmailFilename(supportedLocale, "submit_archive"));
             
             // Get the item handle to email to user
@@ -856,8 +855,7 @@ public class WorkflowManager
 
                 for (int i = 0; i < epa.length; i++)
                 {
-                    Locale epersonLocale = new Locale(epa[i].getLanguage());
-                    Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getSupportedLocale(epersonLocale);
+                    Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getEPersonLocale(epa[i]);
                     Email email = ConfigurationManager.getEmail(I18nUtil.getEmailFilename(supportedLocale, "submit_task"));
                     email.addArgument(title);
                     email.addArgument(coll.getMetadata("name"));
@@ -937,8 +935,7 @@ public class WorkflowManager
 
             // Get rejector's name
             String rejector = getEPersonName(e);
-            Locale eLocale = new Locale(e.getLanguage());
-            Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getSupportedLocale(eLocale);
+            Locale supportedLocale = I18nUtil.getEPersonLocale(e);
             Email email = ConfigurationManager.getEmail(I18nUtil.getEmailFilename(supportedLocale,"submit_reject"));
 
             email.addRecipient(getSubmitterEPerson(wi).getEmail());
diff --git a/dspace-jspui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/webui/servlet/PasswordServlet.java b/dspace-jspui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/webui/servlet/PasswordServlet.java
index a2fdb9d69a..a070835d69 100644
--- a/dspace-jspui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/webui/servlet/PasswordServlet.java
+++ b/dspace-jspui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/webui/servlet/PasswordServlet.java
@@ -102,8 +102,7 @@ public class PasswordServlet extends DSpaceServlet
             Authenticate.loggedIn(context, request, context.getCurrentUser());
 
             // Set the Locale according to user preferences
-            String preferredLanguage = context.getCurrentUser().getLanguage();
-            Locale epersonLocale = I18nUtil.getSupportedLocale(new Locale(preferredLanguage));
+            Locale epersonLocale = I18nUtil.getEPersonLocale(context.getCurrentUser());
             context.setCurrentLocale(epersonLocale);
             Config.set(request.getSession(), Config.FMT_LOCALE, epersonLocale);