diff --git a/components/I18nLanguageHandler.tsx b/components/I18nLanguageHandler.tsx
index 47ce20d3..20bfc597 100644
--- a/components/I18nLanguageHandler.tsx
+++ b/components/I18nLanguageHandler.tsx
@@ -1,17 +1,26 @@
 import { useTranslation } from "next-i18next";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
 
 import { trpc } from "@lib/trpc";
 
+export function useViewerI18n() {
+  return trpc.useQuery(["viewer.i18n"], {
+    staleTime: Infinity,
+  });
+}
+
 /**
  * Auto-switches locale client-side to the logged in user's preference
  */
 const I18nLanguageHandler = (): null => {
   const { i18n } = useTranslation("common");
-  const locale = trpc.useQuery(["viewer.i18n"]).data?.locale;
+  const locale = useViewerI18n().data?.locale;
 
-  if (locale && i18n.language && i18n.language !== locale) {
-    if (typeof i18n.changeLanguage === "function") i18n.changeLanguage(locale);
-  }
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (locale && i18n.language && i18n.language !== locale) {
+      if (typeof i18n.changeLanguage === "function") i18n.changeLanguage(locale);
+    }
+  }, [locale, i18n]);
 
   return null;
 };
diff --git a/components/Shell.tsx b/components/Shell.tsx
index 3fb8a5dd..112d5817 100644
--- a/components/Shell.tsx
+++ b/components/Shell.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { useLocale } from "@lib/hooks/useLocale";
 import { collectPageParameters, telemetryEventTypes, useTelemetry } from "@lib/telemetry";
 import { trpc } from "@lib/trpc";
 
+import Loader from "@components/Loader";
 import { HeadSeo } from "@components/seo/head-seo";
 import Avatar from "@components/ui/Avatar";
 import Dropdown, {
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ import Dropdown, {
   DropdownMenuTrigger,
 } from "@components/ui/Dropdown";
 
+import { useViewerI18n } from "./I18nLanguageHandler";
 import Logo from "./Logo";
 
 function useMeQuery() {
@@ -160,6 +162,16 @@ export default function Shell(props: {
 
   const pageTitle = typeof props.heading === "string" ? props.heading : props.title;
 
+  const i18n = useViewerI18n();
+
+  if (i18n.status === "loading") {
+    // show spinner whilst i18n is loading to avoid language flicker
+    return (
+      <div className="z-50 absolute w-full h-screen bg-gray-50 flex items-center">
+        <Loader />
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
   return (
     <>
       <HeadSeo