diff --git a/app/femr/ui/views/partials/shared/searchBox.scala.html b/app/femr/ui/views/partials/shared/searchBox.scala.html
index 2f39cdd64..4a8b88758 100644
--- a/app/femr/ui/views/partials/shared/searchBox.scala.html
+++ b/app/femr/ui/views/partials/shared/searchBox.scala.html
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-@(page: java.lang.String, patientId: java.lang.Integer, message: java.lang.String)
+@(page: java.lang.String,
+        currentUser: femr.common.dtos.CurrentUser,
+        patientId: java.lang.Integer,
+        message: java.lang.String)
 
 <script>
         document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function(event) {
@@ -7,7 +10,8 @@
                     .then(response => response.json())
                     .then(data => {
                         languageData = data;
-                        const initialLanguage = localStorage.getItem('languageCode') || 'en';
+                        //const initialLanguage = localStorage.getItem('languageCode') || 'en';
+                        const initialLanguage = @currentUser.getLanguageCode();
                         updateLanguage(initialLanguage);
                         document.getElementById('languageSelect').value = initialLanguage;
                     });