diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions.php b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
index 61a156ae65..3ffd2ae234 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
@@ -3668,7 +3668,7 @@ function phpbb_get_avatar($row, $alt, $ignore_config = false, $lazy = false)
 function page_header($page_title = '', $display_online_list = false, $item_id = 0, $item = 'forum', $send_headers = true)
 {
 	global $db, $config, $template, $SID, $_SID, $_EXTRA_URL, $user, $auth, $phpEx, $phpbb_root_path;
-	global $phpbb_dispatcher, $request, $phpbb_container, $phpbb_admin_path;
+	global $phpbb_dispatcher, $request, $phpbb_container, $phpbb_admin_path, $language_helper;
 
 	if (defined('HEADER_INC'))
 	{
@@ -3824,7 +3824,10 @@ function page_header($page_title = '', $display_online_list = false, $item_id =
 	$web_path = $phpbb_path_helper->get_web_root_path();
 
 	// Send a proper content-language to the output
-	$user_lang = $user->lang['USER_LANG'];
+	$language_file_helper = $phpbb_container->get('language.helper.language_file');
+
+	$available_languages = $language_file_helper->get_available_languages();
+	$user_lang = $available_languages[0]['user_lang'];
 	if (strpos($user_lang, '-x-') !== false)
 	{
 		$user_lang = substr($user_lang, 0, strpos($user_lang, '-x-'));
@@ -3880,6 +3883,10 @@ function page_header($page_title = '', $display_online_list = false, $item_id =
 
 	$s_login_redirect = build_hidden_fields(array('redirect' => $phpbb_path_helper->remove_web_root_path(build_url())));
 
+	// Grab the users lang direction and store it for later use
+	$available_languages = $language_file_helper->get_available_languages();
+	$direction = $available_languages[0]['direction'];
+
 	// Add form token for login box, in case page is presenting a login form.
 	add_form_key('login', '_LOGIN');
 
@@ -3970,9 +3977,9 @@ function page_header($page_title = '', $display_online_list = false, $item_id =
 		'S_USER_LANG'			=> $user_lang,
 		'S_USER_BROWSER'		=> (isset($user->data['session_browser'])) ? $user->data['session_browser'] : $user->lang['UNKNOWN_BROWSER'],
 		'S_USERNAME'			=> $user->data['username'],
-		'S_CONTENT_DIRECTION'	=> $user->lang['DIRECTION'],
-		'S_CONTENT_FLOW_BEGIN'	=> ($user->lang['DIRECTION'] == 'ltr') ? 'left' : 'right',
-		'S_CONTENT_FLOW_END'	=> ($user->lang['DIRECTION'] == 'ltr') ? 'right' : 'left',
+		'S_CONTENT_DIRECTION'	=> $direction,
+		'S_CONTENT_FLOW_BEGIN'	=> ($direction  == 'ltr') ? 'left' : 'right',
+		'S_CONTENT_FLOW_END'	=> ($direction  == 'ltr') ? 'right' : 'left',
 		'S_CONTENT_ENCODING'	=> 'UTF-8',
 		'S_TIMEZONE'			=> sprintf($user->lang['ALL_TIMES'], $timezone_offset, $timezone_name),
 		'S_DISPLAY_ONLINE_LIST'	=> ($l_online_time) ? 1 : 0,
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/language/language.php b/phpBB/phpbb/language/language.php
index 6c59e02bba..d9f0721769 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/language/language.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/language/language.php
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 namespace phpbb\language;
 
 use phpbb\language\exception\invalid_plural_rule_exception;
+use phpbb\language\language_file_helper;
 
 /**
  * Wrapper class for loading translations
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/language/language_file_helper.php b/phpBB/phpbb/language/language_file_helper.php
index a6041eacb6..b64269f27a 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/language/language_file_helper.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/language/language_file_helper.php
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ class language_file_helper
 			'version'		=> $data['version'],
 			'phpbb_version'	=> $data['extra']['phpbb-version'],
 			'direction'		=> $data['extra']['direction'],
-			'user-lang'		=> $data['extra']['user-lang'],
-			'plural-rule'	=> $data['extra']['plural-rule'],
-			'recaptcha-lang'=> $data['extra']['recaptcha-lang'],
+			'user_lang'		=> $data['extra']['user-lang'],
+			'plural_rule'	=> $data['extra']['plural-rule'],
+			'recaptcha_lang'=> $data['extra']['recaptcha-lang'],
 		];
 	}
 }