diff --git a/plugins/system/languagefilter/languagefilter.php b/plugins/system/languagefilter/languagefilter.php
index 883802c6a8a3c..453652f1f276f 100644
--- a/plugins/system/languagefilter/languagefilter.php
+++ b/plugins/system/languagefilter/languagefilter.php
@@ -291,7 +291,11 @@ public function parseRule(&$router, &$uri)
 			|| count($this->app->input->files) > 0)
 		{
 			$found = true;
-			$lang_code = $this->app->input->cookie->getString(JApplicationHelper::getHash('language'));
+
+			if (!$lang_code)
+			{
+				$lang_code = $this->app->input->cookie->getString(JApplicationHelper::getHash('language'));
+			}
 
 			if ($this->params->get('detect_browser', 1) && !$lang_code)
 			{