diff --git a/ui/src/i18n/lib/translate.ts b/ui/src/i18n/lib/translate.ts
index 3b1cfa0978a..0a03226ff42 100644
--- a/ui/src/i18n/lib/translate.ts
+++ b/ui/src/i18n/lib/translate.ts
@@ -18,20 +18,30 @@ class I18nManager {
     this.loadLocale();
   }
 
-  private loadLocale() {
+  private resolveInitialLocale(): Locale {
     const saved = localStorage.getItem("openclaw.i18n.locale");
     if (isSupportedLocale(saved)) {
-      this.locale = saved;
-    } else {
-      const navLang = navigator.language;
-      if (navLang.startsWith("zh")) {
-        this.locale = navLang === "zh-TW" || navLang === "zh-HK" ? "zh-TW" : "zh-CN";
-      } else if (navLang.startsWith("pt")) {
-        this.locale = "pt-BR";
-      } else {
-        this.locale = "en";
-      }
+      return saved;
     }
+    const navLang = navigator.language;
+    if (navLang.startsWith("zh")) {
+      return navLang === "zh-TW" || navLang === "zh-HK" ? "zh-TW" : "zh-CN";
+    }
+    if (navLang.startsWith("pt")) {
+      return "pt-BR";
+    }
+    return "en";
+  }
+
+  private loadLocale() {
+    const initialLocale = this.resolveInitialLocale();
+    if (initialLocale === "en") {
+      this.locale = "en";
+      return;
+    }
+    // Use the normal locale setter so startup locale loading follows the same
+    // translation-loading + notify path as manual locale changes.
+    void this.setLocale(initialLocale);
   }
 
   public getLocale(): Locale {
@@ -39,12 +49,13 @@ class I18nManager {
   }
 
   public async setLocale(locale: Locale) {
-    if (this.locale === locale) {
+    const needsTranslationLoad = !this.translations[locale];
+    if (this.locale === locale && !needsTranslationLoad) {
       return;
     }
 
     // Lazy load translations if needed
-    if (!this.translations[locale]) {
+    if (needsTranslationLoad) {
       try {
         let module: Record<string, TranslationMap>;
         if (locale === "zh-CN") {
diff --git a/ui/src/i18n/test/translate.test.ts b/ui/src/i18n/test/translate.test.ts
index 8d6f32ef2d6..b06aa8d2d23 100644
--- a/ui/src/i18n/test/translate.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/i18n/test/translate.test.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from "vitest";
 import { i18n, t } from "../lib/translate.ts";
 
 describe("i18n", () => {
-  beforeEach(() => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
     localStorage.clear();
     // Reset to English
-    void i18n.setLocale("en");
+    await i18n.setLocale("en");
   });
 
   it("should return the key if translation is missing", () => {
@@ -28,4 +28,16 @@ describe("i18n", () => {
     // but let's assume it falls back to English for now.
     expect(t("common.health")).toBeDefined();
   });
+
+  it("loads translations even when setting the same locale again", async () => {
+    const internal = i18n as unknown as {
+      locale: string;
+      translations: Record<string, unknown>;
+    };
+    internal.locale = "zh-CN";
+    delete internal.translations["zh-CN"];
+
+    await i18n.setLocale("zh-CN");
+    expect(t("common.health")).toBe("健康状况");
+  });
 });