diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 768f74371..05fade454 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -724,7 +724,9 @@ void initUserConfig(char *argv[])
     if (UserConfigParams::m_language.toString() != "system")
     {
 #ifdef WIN32
-        SetEnvironmentVariableA("LANGUAGE", UserConfigParams::m_language.c_str());
+        std::string s=std::string("LANGUAGE=")
+                     +UserConfigParams::m_language.c_str();
+        _putenv(s.c_str());
 #else
         setenv("LANGUAGE", UserConfigParams::m_language.c_str(), 1);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp b/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp
index e8ffd0f8f..a787aef89 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp
@@ -226,7 +226,6 @@ void MainMenuScreen::eventCallback(Widget* widget, const std::string& name, cons
             if (selection == "system")
             {
 #ifdef WIN32
-                SetEnvironmentVariable("LANGUAGE", "");
                 _putenv("LANGUAGE=");
 #else
                 setenv( "LANGUAGE", "", 1);