diff --git a/src/middlewared/middlewared/i18n.py b/src/middlewared/middlewared/i18n.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e247ad250f10a..0000000000000
--- a/src/middlewared/middlewared/i18n.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-from gettext import NullTranslations, GNUTranslations
-import logging
-import pkg_resources
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-translations = NullTranslations()
-
-
-def set_language(language):
-    global translations
-
-    try:
-        with open(pkg_resources.resource_filename("middlewared", f"locale/{language}/LC_MESSAGES/middlewared.mo"), "rb") as f:
-            translations = GNUTranslations(f)
-
-        return True
-    except Exception as e:
-        if language != "en":
-            logger.warning("Failed to set language %r: %r", language, e)
-
-        translations = NullTranslations()
-
-        return False
-
-
-def _(message):
-    return translations.gettext(message)
-
-
-def __(singular, plural, n):
-    return translations.ngettext(singular, plural, n)
diff --git a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system/__init__.py b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system/__init__.py
index a3b0bf1aafe78..525f43f67b200 100644
--- a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system/__init__.py
+++ b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system/__init__.py
@@ -40,5 +40,4 @@ async def setup(middleware):
     settings = await middleware.call('system.general.config')
     middleware.logger.debug('Setting timezone to %r', settings['timezone'])
     await middleware.call('core.environ_update', {'TZ': settings['timezone']})
-    await middleware.call('system.general.set_language')
     await middleware.call('sysctl.set_zvol_volmode', 2)
diff --git a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/language.py b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/language.py
index aafab5281a5f9..daa97eb3822f5 100644
--- a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/language.py
+++ b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/language.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-from middlewared.i18n import set_language
 from middlewared.schema import accepts, Dict, returns
-from middlewared.service import private, Service
+from middlewared.service import Service
 
 
 LANGUAGES = dict([
@@ -109,8 +108,3 @@ async def language_choices(self):
         Returns language choices.
         """
         return LANGUAGES
-
-    @private
-    def set_language(self):
-        language = self.middleware.call_sync('system.general.config')['language']
-        set_language(language)
diff --git a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/update.py b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/update.py
index e9091d3bdc274..be1f013d2bafd 100644
--- a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/update.py
+++ b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/system_general/update.py
@@ -277,9 +277,6 @@ async def do_update(self, data):
             await self.middleware.call('service.reload', 'timeservices')
             await self.middleware.call('service.restart', 'cron')
 
-        if config['language'] != new_config['language']:
-            await self.middleware.call('system.general.set_language')
-
         if config['ds_auth'] != new_config['ds_auth']:
             await self.middleware.call('etc.generate', 'pam_middleware')