diff --git a/copyparty/web/splash.html b/copyparty/web/splash.html
index 0223c4e9..a962cdb8 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/splash.html
+++ b/copyparty/web/splash.html
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@
 	<a href="#" id="repl">π</a>
 	<script>
 
+var lang="{{ this.args.lang }}";
 document.documentElement.className=localStorage.theme||"{{ this.args.theme }}";
 
 </script>
diff --git a/copyparty/web/splash.js b/copyparty/web/splash.js
index 718c8c46..6f672081 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/splash.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/splash.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var Ls = {
 		"t1": "handling",
 	}
 },
-	d = Ls[sread("lang") || "{{ this.args.lang }}"];
+	d = Ls[sread("lang") || lang];
 
 for (var k in (d || {})) {
 	var f = k.slice(-1),