diff --git a/classes/core/PKPRequest.php b/classes/core/PKPRequest.php
index 569de09117f..6c588ff0dee 100644
--- a/classes/core/PKPRequest.php
+++ b/classes/core/PKPRequest.php
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ class PKPRequest
     /** @var string user agent */
     public string $_userAgent;
 
-
     /**
      * get the router instance
      */
@@ -785,6 +784,16 @@ public function getPublicFilesUrl(?Context $context = null): string
                 : $publicFileManager->getSiteFilesPath()
         ]);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the preferred language.
+     *
+     * @param string[] $locales An array of ordered available locales
+     */
+    public function getPreferredLanguage(array $locales): ?string
+    {
+        return (new \Illuminate\Http\Request(server: $_SERVER))->getPreferredLanguage($locales);
+    }
 }
 
 if (!PKP_STRICT_MODE) {
diff --git a/classes/i18n/Locale.php b/classes/i18n/Locale.php
index 9037d97b32b..cc88cd62397 100644
--- a/classes/i18n/Locale.php
+++ b/classes/i18n/Locale.php
@@ -134,7 +134,8 @@ public function getLocale(): string
         $request = $this->_getRequest();
         $locale = $request->getUserVar('setLocale')
             ?: $request->getSession()->get('currentLocale')
-            ?: $request->getCookieVar('currentLocale');
+            ?: $request->getCookieVar('currentLocale')
+            ?: $request->getPreferredLanguage($this->_getSupportedLocales());
         $this->setLocale($locale);
         return $this->locale;
     }