diff --git a/backend/src/backend/models.py b/backend/src/backend/models.py
index 5908cd0..1ee4492 100644
--- a/backend/src/backend/models.py
+++ b/backend/src/backend/models.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import pydantic
 import sqlalchemy
 
-from backend.constants import BackendConf
+from backend.constants import BackendConf, logger
 
 METADATA_MAX_LEN = 2048
 KIND_TEXT: str = "text"
@@ -75,6 +75,20 @@ class Meta(BaseMeta):
     def __repr__(self):
         return f"Language(code={self.code}, name={self.name})"
 
+    async def get_create_or_update(code: str, name: str, native: str):
+        language, created = await Language.objects.get_or_create(
+            code=code, _defaults={"name": name, "native": native}
+        )
+        if created is False and (language.name != name or language.native != native):
+            logger.warning(
+                f"Updating language values for {language.code} from {language.name}/"
+                f"{language.native} to {name}/{native}"
+            )
+            language.name = name
+            language.native = native
+            await language.update()
+        return language
+
 
 class TagMixin:
     """ZIM Tag is a text slug stored along others in `Tags` metadata
diff --git a/backend/src/backend/routes/books.py b/backend/src/backend/routes/books.py
index c0e7579..e2ffb68 100644
--- a/backend/src/backend/routes/books.py
+++ b/backend/src/backend/routes/books.py
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ async def create_book(book_payload: BookAddSchema):
 
     for lang_code in book_payload.metadata["Language"].split(","):
         native_name, english_name = find_language_names(lang_code)
-        language, _ = await Language.objects.get_or_create(
+        language = await Language.get_create_or_update(
             code=lang_code, name=english_name, native=native_name
         )
         await book.languages.add(language)
diff --git a/backend/src/demo/data.py b/backend/src/demo/data.py
index fdef0b9..1aab1ca 100644
--- a/backend/src/demo/data.py
+++ b/backend/src/demo/data.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ async def load_fixture():
 
         iso_639_3_lang_code = get_language_details(lang_code)["iso-639-3"]
 
-        language, _ = await Language.objects.get_or_create(
+        language = await Language.get_create_or_update(
             code=iso_639_3_lang_code, name=english_name, native=native_name
         )
         await book.languages.add(language)
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_books_endpoint.py b/backend/tests/test_books_endpoint.py
index 5bb2916..8f73d19 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_books_endpoint.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_books_endpoint.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     KIND_TEXT,
     Book,
     BookMetadata,
+    Language,
     Title,
     TitleMetadata,
 )
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_add_book(client, book_dict, clear_book_dict):
+async def test_add_book_create_language(client, book_dict, clear_book_dict):
     response = await client.post("/v1/books/add", json=book_dict)
     assert response.status_code == 201
     assert response.headers.get("Content-Type") == "application/json"
@@ -38,6 +39,21 @@ async def test_add_book(client, book_dict, clear_book_dict):
     assert book.zimcheck == book_dict["zimcheck"]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_add_book_update_language(
+    client, book_dict, clear_book_dict, language_eng
+):
+    # language_eng is already created in DB but its name and native properties are wrong
+    # since they have been updated in Babel
+    response = await client.post("/v1/books/add", json=book_dict)
+    assert response.status_code == 201
+    assert response.headers.get("Content-Type") == "application/json"
+
+    language = await Language.objects.get(code="eng")
+    assert language.native == "English (United States)"
+    assert language.name == "English (United States)"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_of_rollback(client, book_dict):
     ident = get_ident_from_name(book_dict["metadata"]["Name"])