diff --git a/res/layouts/pages/languages.xml.lua b/res/layouts/pages/languages.xml.lua
index be6c5905..aa0e6597 100644
--- a/res/layouts/pages/languages.xml.lua
+++ b/res/layouts/pages/languages.xml.lua
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function on_open()
     for _,k in ipairs(names) do
         panel:add(string.format(
             "<button onclick=%q padding='10'>%s</button>",
-            string.format("gui.set_locale(%q) menu:back()", invlocales[k]), k
+            string.format("core.set_setting('ui.language', %q) menu:back()", invlocales[k]), k
         ))
     end
     panel:add("<button padding='10' onclick='menu:back()'>@Back</button>")
diff --git a/src/data/setting.cpp b/src/data/setting.cpp
index d39f2c08..c1de4b6c 100644
--- a/src/data/setting.cpp
+++ b/src/data/setting.cpp
@@ -32,3 +32,7 @@ std::string FlagSetting::toString() const {
             return "invalid format";
     }
 }
+
+std::string StringSetting::toString() const {
+    return value;
+}
diff --git a/src/data/setting.h b/src/data/setting.h
index 2ecbd46c..8a84ce81 100644
--- a/src/data/setting.h
+++ b/src/data/setting.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
         });
     }
 
-    T get() const {
+    const T& get() const {
         return value;
     }
 
@@ -160,8 +160,7 @@ public:
     FlagSetting(
         bool value,
         setting_format format=setting_format::simple
-    ) : ObservableSetting(value, format)
-    {}
+    ) : ObservableSetting(value, format) {}
 
     void toggle() {
         set(!get());
@@ -170,4 +169,14 @@ public:
     virtual std::string toString() const override;
 };
 
+class StringSetting : public ObservableSetting<std::string> {
+public:
+    StringSetting(
+        std::string value,
+        setting_format format=setting_format::simple
+    ) : ObservableSetting(value, format) {}
+
+    virtual std::string toString() const override;
+};
+
 #endif // DATA_SETTING_H_
diff --git a/src/engine.cpp b/src/engine.cpp
index 306b4847..4f7c03ac 100644
--- a/src/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine.cpp
@@ -71,16 +71,18 @@ Engine::Engine(EngineSettings& settings, EnginePaths* paths)
     create_channel(this, "ui", settings.audio.volumeUI);
 
     gui = std::make_unique<gui::GUI>();
-    if (settings.ui.language == "auto") {
-        settings.ui.language = langs::locale_by_envlocale(
+    if (settings.ui.language.get() == "auto") {
+        settings.ui.language.set(langs::locale_by_envlocale(
             platform::detect_locale(),
             paths->getResources()
-        );
+        ));
     }
     if (ENGINE_VERSION_INDEV) {
         menus::create_version_label(this);
     }
-    setLanguage(settings.ui.language);
+    keepAlive(settings.ui.language.observe([=](auto lang) {
+        setLanguage(lang);
+    }, true));
     addWorldGenerators();
     
     scripting::initialize(this);
@@ -275,7 +277,6 @@ void Engine::setScreen(std::shared_ptr<Screen> screen) {
 }
 
 void Engine::setLanguage(std::string locale) {
-    settings.ui.language = locale;
     langs::setup(paths->getResources(), locale, contentPacks);
     menus::create_menus(this);
 }
diff --git a/src/files/settings_io.cpp b/src/files/settings_io.cpp
index ce8c7e38..66cf60d6 100644
--- a/src/files/settings_io.cpp
+++ b/src/files/settings_io.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ SettingsHandler::SettingsHandler(EngineSettings& settings) {
     map.emplace("graphics.fog-curve", &settings.graphics.fogCurve);
     map.emplace("graphics.backlight", &settings.graphics.backlight);
     map.emplace("graphics.gamma", &settings.graphics.gamma);
+
+    map.emplace("ui.language", &settings.ui.language);
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<dynamic::Value> SettingsHandler::getValue(const std::string& name) const {
@@ -46,6 +48,8 @@ std::unique_ptr<dynamic::Value> SettingsHandler::getValue(const std::string& nam
         return dynamic::Value::of((integer_t)integer->get());
     } else if (auto flag = dynamic_cast<FlagSetting*>(setting)) {
         return dynamic::Value::boolean(flag->get());
+    } else if (auto string = dynamic_cast<StringSetting*>(setting)) {
+        return dynamic::Value::of(string->get());
     } else {
         throw std::runtime_error("type is not implemented for '"+name+"'");
     }
@@ -88,7 +92,7 @@ static void set_numeric_value(T* setting, const dynamic::Value& value) {
 void SettingsHandler::setValue(const std::string& name, const dynamic::Value& value) {
     auto found = map.find(name);
     if (found == map.end()) {
-        throw std::runtime_error("setting '"+name+"' does Pnot exist");
+        throw std::runtime_error("setting '"+name+"' does not exist");
     }
     auto setting = found->second;
     if (auto number = dynamic_cast<NumberSetting*>(setting)) {
@@ -97,6 +101,23 @@ void SettingsHandler::setValue(const std::string& name, const dynamic::Value& va
         set_numeric_value(integer, value);
     } else if (auto flag = dynamic_cast<FlagSetting*>(setting)) {
         set_numeric_value(flag, value);
+    } else if (auto string = dynamic_cast<StringSetting*>(setting)) {
+        switch (value.type) {
+            case dynamic::valtype::string:
+                string->set(std::get<std::string>(value.value));
+                break;
+            case dynamic::valtype::integer:
+                string->set(std::to_string(std::get<integer_t>(value.value)));
+                break;
+            case dynamic::valtype::number:
+                string->set(std::to_string(std::get<number_t>(value.value)));
+                break;
+            case dynamic::valtype::boolean:
+                string->set(std::to_string(std::get<bool>(value.value)));
+                break;
+            default:
+                throw std::runtime_error("not implemented for type");
+        }
     } else {
         throw std::runtime_error("type is not implement - setting '"+name+"'");
     }
@@ -144,7 +165,7 @@ toml::Wrapper* create_wrapper(EngineSettings& settings) {
     debug.add("do-write-lights", &settings.debug.doWriteLights);
 
     toml::Section& ui = wrapper->add("ui");
-    ui.add("language", &settings.ui.language);
+    ui.add("language", &*settings.ui.language);
     ui.add("world-preview-size", &*settings.ui.worldPreviewSize);
     return wrapper.release();
 }
diff --git a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libgui.cpp b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libgui.cpp
index 56960a97..b1399443 100644
--- a/src/logic/scripting/lua/libgui.cpp
+++ b/src/logic/scripting/lua/libgui.cpp
@@ -385,13 +385,6 @@ static int l_gui_get_locale(lua_State* L) {
     return 1;
 }
 
-/// @brief gui.set_locale(locale: string) -> nil
-static int l_gui_set_locale(lua_State* L) {
-    auto locale = lua_tostring(L, 1);
-    scripting::engine->setLanguage(locale);
-    return 0;
-}
-
 const luaL_Reg guilib [] = {
     {"get_viewport", lua_wrap_errors<l_gui_getviewport>},
     {"getattr", lua_wrap_errors<l_gui_getattr>},
@@ -400,7 +393,6 @@ const luaL_Reg guilib [] = {
     {"str", lua_wrap_errors<l_gui_str>},
     {"reindex", lua_wrap_errors<l_gui_reindex>},
     {"get_locale", lua_wrap_errors<l_gui_get_locale>},
-    {"set_locale", lua_wrap_errors<l_gui_set_locale>},
     {"get_locales_info", lua_wrap_errors<l_gui_get_locales_info>},
     {NULL, NULL}
 };
diff --git a/src/settings.h b/src/settings.h
index f952b09f..f066e79d 100644
--- a/src/settings.h
+++ b/src/settings.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ struct DebugSettings {
 };
 
 struct UiSettings {
-    std::string language = "auto";
+    StringSetting language {"auto"};
     IntegerSetting worldPreviewSize {64, 1, 512};
 };