diff --git a/authentic/root.ptl b/authentic/root.ptl
index 99f2a79..21c7201 100644
--- a/authentic/root.ptl
+++ b/authentic/root.ptl
@@ -114,8 +114,9 @@ class RootDirectory(Directory):
         else:
             request.user = None
         if request.user:
-            preferred_language = request.user.get_preferred_language()
+            preferred_language = session.get_user_object().get_preferred_language()
             if preferred_language:
+                print 'set preferred language to', preferred_language
                 request.language = preferred_language
                 get_publisher().install_lang(preferred_language)