diff --git a/src/common/config/defaultPreferences.js b/src/common/config/defaultPreferences.js
index 51c16a89..4cd63e42 100644
--- a/src/common/config/defaultPreferences.js
+++ b/src/common/config/defaultPreferences.js
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ const defaultPreferences = {
   },
   showUnreadBadge: true,
   useSpellChecker: true,
-  spellCheckerLocale: 'en-US',
 };
 
 module.exports = defaultPreferences;
diff --git a/src/common/settings.js b/src/common/settings.js
index 6e744876..28cf7785 100644
--- a/src/common/settings.js
+++ b/src/common/settings.js
@@ -12,11 +12,8 @@ function merge(base, target) {
 const defaultPreferences = require('./config/defaultPreferences');
 const upgradePreferences = require('./config/upgradePreferences');
 
-function loadDefault(spellCheckerLocale) {
-  const config = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(defaultPreferences));
-  return Object.assign({}, config, {
-    spellCheckerLocale: spellCheckerLocale || defaultPreferences.spellCheckerLocale || 'en-US',
-  });
+function loadDefault() {
+  return JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(defaultPreferences));
 }
 
 function hasBuildConfigDefaultTeams(config) {
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index 997d6696..950ba494 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ try {
     settings.writeFileSync(configFile, config);
   }
 } catch (e) {
-  const spellCheckerLocale = SpellChecker.getSpellCheckerLocale(app.getLocale());
-  config = settings.loadDefault(null, spellCheckerLocale);
+  config = settings.loadDefault();
   console.log('Failed to read or upgrade config.json', e);
   if (!config.teams.length && config.defaultTeam) {
     config.teams.push(config.defaultTeam);
@@ -386,6 +385,12 @@ app.on('ready', () => {
     return;
   }
 
+  if (!config.spellCheckerLocale) {
+    config.spellCheckerLocale = SpellChecker.getSpellCheckerLocale(app.getLocale());
+    const configFile = app.getPath('userData') + '/config.json';
+    settings.writeFileSync(configFile, config);
+  }
+
   const appStateJson = path.join(app.getPath('userData'), 'app-state.json');
   appState = new AppStateManager(appStateJson);
   if (wasUpdated(appState.lastAppVersion)) {