diff --git a/packages/lib/BaseApplication.ts b/packages/lib/BaseApplication.ts
index 1d8839f7d..3387353a6 100644
--- a/packages/lib/BaseApplication.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/BaseApplication.ts
@@ -747,8 +747,15 @@ export default class BaseApplication {
 		}
 
 		if (Setting.value('firstStart')) {
-			const locale = shim.detectAndSetLocale(Setting);
-			reg.logger().info(`First start: detected locale as ${locale}`);
+
+			// detectAndSetLocale sets the locale to the system default locale.
+			// Not calling it when a new profile is created ensures that the
+			// the language set by the user is not overridden by the system
+			// default language.
+			if (!Setting.value('isSubProfile')) {
+				const locale = shim.detectAndSetLocale(Setting);
+				reg.logger().info(`First start: detected locale as ${locale}`);
+			}
 			Setting.skipDefaultMigrations();
 
 			if (Setting.value('env') === 'dev') {