diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/datepicker.js b/app/assets/javascripts/datepicker.js
index 8299833cd..1e483ea6a 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/datepicker.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/datepicker.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   App.Datepicker = {
     initialize: function() {
       var locale;
-      locale = $("#js-locale").data("current-locale");
+      locale = document.documentElement.lang;
       $(".js-calendar").datepicker({
         maxDate: "+0d"
       });
diff --git a/app/views/shared/_locale_switcher.html.erb b/app/views/shared/_locale_switcher.html.erb
index c62d2a53d..294badcb8 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/_locale_switcher.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/shared/_locale_switcher.html.erb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <% if I18n.available_locales.size > 1 %>
-  <div class="locale" id="js-locale" data-current-locale="<%= I18n.locale %>">
+  <div class="locale">
     <form class="locale-form">
       <label class="inline-block" for="locale-switcher">
         <%= t("layouts.header.locale") %>