diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py b/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
index b5ebe5378..065832aed 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ class UnloggedUser(FakeAccount):
 
     def _commit(self):
         if self._dirty:
-            self._t.update(self._dirties)
+            for k, (oldv, newv) in self._dirties.iteritems():
+                self._t[k] = newv
             self._to_cookie(self._t)
 
     def _load(self):
@@ -488,8 +489,13 @@ class RedditController(BaseController):
             c.user_is_loggedin = True
         else:
             c.user = UnloggedUser(get_browser_langs())
-            c.user._load()
-
+            # patch for fixing mangled language preferences
+            if (not isinstance(c.user.pref_lang, basestring) or
+                not all(isinstance(x, basestring)
+                        for x in c.user.pref_content_langs)):
+                c.user.pref_lang = g.lang
+                c.user.pref_content_langs = [g.lang]
+                c.user._commit()
         if c.user_is_loggedin:
             if not c.user._loaded:
                 c.user._load()
diff --git a/r2/r2/public/static/js/reddit.js b/r2/r2/public/static/js/reddit.js
index 97ff14de7..d850141e1 100644
--- a/r2/r2/public/static/js/reddit.js
+++ b/r2/r2/public/static/js/reddit.js
@@ -1036,6 +1036,14 @@ var toolbar_p = function(expanded_size, collapsed_size) {
     };
 };
 
+function clear_all_langs(elem) {
+    $(elem).parents("form").find("input[type=checkbox]").attr("checked", false);
+}
+
+function check_some_langs(elem) {
+    $(elem).parents("form").find("#some-langs").attr("checked", true);
+}
+
 /* The ready method */
 $(function() {
         /* set function to be called on thing creation/replacement,
diff --git a/r2/r2/templates/utils.html b/r2/r2/templates/utils.html
index b11ce4871..b3eb69114 100644
--- a/r2/r2/templates/utils.html
+++ b/r2/r2/templates/utils.html
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ ${unsafe(txt)}
      all_checked, some_checked = some_checked, all_checked
 %>
 <input type="radio" name="all-langs" id="all-langs" value="all"
-       onclick="clear_all(this)" ${all_checked}/>
+       onclick="clear_all_langs(this)" ${all_checked}/>
 <label for="all-langs">${_("all languages")}</label>
 <br/>
 <input type="radio" name="all-langs" id="some-langs" value="some"
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ ${unsafe(txt)}
          checked = ""
     %>
     <input type="checkbox" name="${idname}" id="${idname}"
-           onclick="check_some()" ${checked}/>
+           onclick="check_some_langs(this)" ${checked}/>
     <label for="${idname}">${g.lang_name[lang]}</label>
     </td>
   %endfor