diff --git a/gui/kivy/__init__.py b/gui/kivy/__init__.py
index ed06054c..3bf7db7f 100644
--- a/gui/kivy/__init__.py
+++ b/gui/kivy/__init__.py
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ except ImportError:
 
 # minimum required version for kivy
 kivy.require('1.8.0')
-from electrum.i18n import set_language
 from kivy.logger import Logger
 from main_window import ElectrumWindow
 
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@ class ElectrumGui:
         self.network = daemon.network
         self.config = config
         self.plugins = plugins
-        set_language(config.get('language'))
 
     def main(self):
         w = ElectrumWindow(config=self.config,
diff --git a/gui/kivy/i18n.py b/gui/kivy/i18n.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a9d62b55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gui/kivy/i18n.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import gettext
+
+class _(str):
+
+    observers = set()
+    lang = None
+
+    def __new__(cls, s, *args, **kwargs):
+        if _.lang is None:
+            _.switch_lang('en')
+        t = _.translate(s, *args, **kwargs)
+        o = super(_, cls).__new__(cls, t)
+        o.source_text = s
+        return o
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def translate(s, *args, **kwargs):
+        return _.lang(s).format(args, kwargs)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def bind(label):
+        if isinstance(label.text, _):
+            _.observers.add(label)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def switch_lang(lang):
+        # get the right locales directory, and instanciate a gettext
+        from electrum.i18n import LOCALE_DIR
+        locales = gettext.translation('electrum', LOCALE_DIR, languages=[lang], fallback=True)
+        _.lang = locales.gettext
+        for label in _.observers:
+            try:
+                label.text = _(label.text.source_text)
+            except ReferenceError:
+                pass
+
diff --git a/gui/kivy/main.kv b/gui/kivy/main.kv
index cbbd9cc8..098a6d00 100644
--- a/gui/kivy/main.kv
+++ b/gui/kivy/main.kv
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #:import Clock kivy.clock.Clock
 #:import Window kivy.core.window.Window
 #:import Factory kivy.factory.Factory
-#:import _ electrum.i18n._
+#:import _ electrum_gui.kivy.i18n._
 
 # Custom Global Widgets
 <Button>
     on_parent: self.MIN_STATE_TIME = 0.1
+    on_text: _.bind(self)
 
 <EmptyLabel@Label>
     color: (0.8, 0.8, 0.8, 1)
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
     markup: True
     font_name: 'Roboto'
     font_size: '16sp'
+    on_text: _.bind(self)
 
 <ListItemButton>
     font_size: '12sp'
diff --git a/gui/kivy/main_window.py b/gui/kivy/main_window.py
index d898ae26..cb4b6e01 100644
--- a/gui/kivy/main_window.py
+++ b/gui/kivy/main_window.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from decimal import Decimal
 
 import electrum
 from electrum import WalletStorage, Wallet
-from electrum.i18n import _
+from electrum_gui.kivy.i18n import _
 from electrum.contacts import Contacts
 from electrum.paymentrequest import InvoiceStore
 from electrum.util import profiler, InvalidPassword
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ class ElectrumWindow(App):
 
     electrum_config = ObjectProperty(None)
 
+    language = StringProperty('en')
+
+    def on_language(self, instance, language):
+        Logger.info('language: {}'.format(language))
+        _.switch_lang(language)
+
     def on_quotes(self, d):
         print "main_window: on_quotes"
         pass
@@ -177,6 +183,7 @@ class ElectrumWindow(App):
 
         title = _('Electrum App')
         self.electrum_config = config = kwargs.get('config', None)
+        self.language = config.get('language', 'en')
         self.network = network = kwargs.get('network', None)
         self.plugins = kwargs.get('plugins', [])
 
@@ -447,7 +454,7 @@ class ElectrumWindow(App):
             else:
                 c, u, x = self.wallet.get_account_balance(self.current_account)
                 text = self.format_amount(c+x+u)
-                self.status = text.strip() + ' ' + self.base_unit
+                self.status = str(text.strip() + ' ' + self.base_unit)
         else:
             self.status = _("Not connected")
 
@@ -471,8 +478,6 @@ class ElectrumWindow(App):
 
     @profiler
     def notify_transactions(self, *dt):
-        '''
-        '''
         if not self.network or not self.network.is_connected():
             return
         # temporarily disabled for merge
diff --git a/gui/kivy/uix/dialogs/settings.py b/gui/kivy/uix/dialogs/settings.py
index 432d3f79..dc3100cc 100644
--- a/gui/kivy/uix/dialogs/settings.py
+++ b/gui/kivy/uix/dialogs/settings.py
@@ -3,14 +3,15 @@ from kivy.factory import Factory
 from kivy.properties import ObjectProperty
 from kivy.lang import Builder
 
-from electrum.i18n import _
 from electrum.util import base_units
-from electrum.i18n import languages, set_language
+from electrum.i18n import languages
+from electrum_gui.kivy.i18n import _
 from electrum.plugins import run_hook
 from electrum.bitcoin import RECOMMENDED_FEE
 
 Builder.load_string('''
 #:import partial functools.partial
+#:import _ electrum_gui.kivy.i18n._
 
 <SettingsItem@ButtonBehavior+BoxLayout>
     orientation: 'vertical'
@@ -57,8 +58,8 @@ Builder.load_string('''
                 size_hint: 1, None
                 SettingsItem:
                     lang: settings.get_language_name()
-                    title: _('Language') + ': %s'%self.lang
-                    description: _("Language")
+                    title: 'Language' + ': ' + str(self.lang)
+                    description: _('Language')
                     action: partial(root.language_dialog, self)
                     height: '48dp'
                 SettingsItem:
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ class SettingsDialog(Factory.Popup):
         def cb(key):
             self.config.set_key("language", key, True)
             item.lang = self.get_language_name()
-            set_language(key)
+            self.app.language = key
         d = ChoiceDialog(_('Language'), languages, l, cb)
         d.open()
 
diff --git a/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/history.kv b/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/history.kv
index 67bb686c..69ec02c1 100644
--- a/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/history.kv
+++ b/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/history.kv
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#:import _ electrum.i18n._
+#:import _ electrum_gui.kivy.i18n._
 #:import Factory kivy.factory.Factory
 #:set font_light 'gui/kivy/data/fonts/Roboto-Condensed.ttf'
 #:set btc_symbol unichr(171)
diff --git a/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/receive.kv b/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/receive.kv
index 36f280f9..888c5e25 100644
--- a/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/receive.kv
+++ b/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/receive.kv
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#:import _ electrum.i18n._
+#:import _ electrum_gui.kivy.i18n._
 #:import Decimal decimal.Decimal
 #:set btc_symbol unichr(171)
 #:set mbtc_symbol unichr(187)
diff --git a/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/send.kv b/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/send.kv
index 65360522..492c9f4a 100644
--- a/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/send.kv
+++ b/gui/kivy/uix/ui_screens/send.kv
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-#:import _ electrum.i18n._
+#:import _ electrum_gui.kivy.i18n._
 #:import Decimal decimal.Decimal
-
-#:import Factory kivy.factory.Factory
 #:set btc_symbol unichr(171)
 #:set mbtc_symbol unichr(187)
 #:set font_light 'gui/kivy/data/fonts/Roboto-Condensed.ttf'