diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/decorators.py b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/decorators.py
index 73d015dc8..182f78774 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/decorators.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/decorators.py
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals
 
 from django.contrib.auth.views import redirect_to_login as auth_redirect_to_login
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
-
+from django.utils.translation import activate as activate_lang
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
-from django.utils.translation import activate
 
 from wagtail.utils.compat import user_is_anonymous
 from wagtail.wagtailadmin import messages
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ def require_admin_access(view_func):
 
         if user.has_perms(['wagtailadmin.access_admin']):
             if hasattr(user, 'wagtail_userprofile'):
-                activate(user.wagtail_userprofile.get_preferred_language())
+                activate_lang(user.wagtail_userprofile.get_preferred_language())
             return view_func(request, *args, **kwargs)
 
         messages.error(request, _('You do not have permission to access the admin'))
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/tests/test_account_management.py b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/tests/test_account_management.py
index 7c3c8fd3d..698bbfb82 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/tests/test_account_management.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/tests/test_account_management.py
@@ -293,8 +293,8 @@ class TestAccountSection(TestCase, WagtailTestUtils):
 
     def test_language_preferences_view_post(self):
         """
-        This post to the language preferences view and checks that the
-        user's profile is updated
+        This posts to the language preferences view and checks that the
+        user profile is updated
         """
         # Post new values to the language preferences page
         post_data = {