diff --git a/searx/preferences.py b/searx/preferences.py
index 3da6d5d16..8552305a7 100644
--- a/searx/preferences.py
+++ b/searx/preferences.py
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@
 from base64 import urlsafe_b64encode, urlsafe_b64decode
 from zlib import compress, decompress
 from urllib.parse import parse_qs, urlencode
-from typing import Iterable, Dict, List
+from typing import Iterable, Dict, List, Optional
 
 import flask
+import babel
 
 from searx import settings, autocomplete
 from searx.enginelib import Engine
@@ -287,10 +288,65 @@ class PluginsSetting(BooleanChoices):
         return [item[len('plugin_') :] for item in items]
 
 
+class ClientPref:
+    """Container to assemble client prefferences and settings."""
+
+    # hint: searx.webapp.get_client_settings should be moved into this class
+
+    locale: babel.Locale
+    """Locale prefered by the client."""
+
+    def __init__(self, locale: Optional[babel.Locale] = None):
+        self.locale = locale
+
+    @property
+    def locale_tag(self):
+        if self.locale is None:
+            return None
+        tag = self.locale.language
+        if self.locale.territory:
+            tag += '-' + self.locale.territory
+        return tag
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_http_request(cls, http_request: flask.Request):
+        """Build ClientPref object from HTTP request.
+
+        - `Accept-Language used for locale setting
+          <https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-accept-lang-locales.en>`__
+
+        """
+        al_header = http_request.headers.get("Accept-Language")
+        if not al_header:
+            return cls(locale=None)
+
+        pairs = []
+        for l in al_header.split(','):
+            # fmt: off
+            lang, qvalue = [_.strip() for _ in (l.split(';') + ['q=1',])[:2]]
+            # fmt: on
+            try:
+                qvalue = float(qvalue.split('=')[-1])
+                locale = babel.Locale.parse(lang, sep='-')
+            except (ValueError, babel.core.UnknownLocaleError):
+                continue
+            pairs.append((locale, qvalue))
+        pairs.sort(reverse=True, key=lambda x: x[1])
+        return cls(locale=pairs[0][0])
+
+
 class Preferences:
     """Validates and saves preferences to cookies"""
 
-    def __init__(self, themes: List[str], categories: List[str], engines: Dict[str, Engine], plugins: Iterable[Plugin]):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        themes: List[str],
+        categories: List[str],
+        engines: Dict[str, Engine],
+        plugins: Iterable[Plugin],
+        client: Optional[ClientPref] = None,
+    ):
+
         super().__init__()
 
         self.key_value_settings: Dict[str, Setting] = {
@@ -414,6 +470,7 @@ class Preferences:
         self.engines = EnginesSetting('engines', engines=engines.values())
         self.plugins = PluginsSetting('plugins', plugins=plugins)
         self.tokens = SetSetting('tokens')
+        self.client = client or ClientPref()
         self.unknown_params: Dict[str, str] = {}
 
     def get_as_url_params(self):
diff --git a/searx/webapp.py b/searx/webapp.py
index 388b28c38..52b1ccc34 100755
--- a/searx/webapp.py
+++ b/searx/webapp.py
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ from searx.plugins import Plugin, plugins, initialize as plugin_initialize
 from searx.plugins.oa_doi_rewrite import get_doi_resolver
 from searx.preferences import (
     Preferences,
+    ClientPref,
     ValidationException,
 )
 from searx.answerers import (
@@ -221,16 +222,9 @@ babel = Babel(app, locale_selector=get_locale)
 
 
 def _get_browser_language(req, lang_list):
-    for lang in req.headers.get("Accept-Language", "en").split(","):
-        if ';' in lang:
-            lang = lang.split(';')[0]
-        if '-' in lang:
-            lang_parts = lang.split('-')
-            lang = "{}-{}".format(lang_parts[0], lang_parts[-1].upper())
-        locale = match_locale(lang, lang_list, fallback=None)
-        if locale is not None:
-            return locale
-    return 'en'
+    client = ClientPref.from_http_request(req)
+    locale = match_locale(client.locale_tag, lang_list, fallback='en')
+    return locale
 
 
 def _get_locale_rfc5646(locale):
@@ -512,7 +506,10 @@ def pre_request():
     request.timings = []  # pylint: disable=assigning-non-slot
     request.errors = []  # pylint: disable=assigning-non-slot
 
-    preferences = Preferences(themes, list(categories.keys()), engines, plugins)  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
+    client_pref = ClientPref.from_http_request(request)
+    # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
+    preferences = Preferences(themes, list(categories.keys()), engines, plugins, client_pref)
+
     user_agent = request.headers.get('User-Agent', '').lower()
     if 'webkit' in user_agent and 'android' in user_agent:
         preferences.key_value_settings['method'].value = 'GET'