diff --git a/packages/cms/src/api/cmsRoute.js b/packages/cms/src/api/cmsRoute.js
index 89a9a93ef..081728300 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/api/cmsRoute.js
+++ b/packages/cms/src/api/cmsRoute.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const path = require("path");
 const Op = sequelize.Op;
 
 const client = new Client(process.env.CANON_LOGICLAYER_CUBE);
+const envLoc = process.env.CANON_LANGUAGE_DEFAULT || "en";
 
 const topicTypeDir = path.join(__dirname, "../components/topics/");
 
@@ -362,7 +363,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       db[ref].create(req.body).then(newObj => {
         // For a certain subset of translated tables, we need to also insert a new, corresponding english content row.
         if (contentTables.includes(ref)) {
-          const payload = Object.assign({}, req.body, {id: newObj.id, lang: "en"});
+          const payload = Object.assign({}, req.body, {id: newObj.id, lang: envLoc});
           db[`${ref}_content`].create(payload).then(() => res.json(newObj).end());
         }
         else {
@@ -375,9 +376,9 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
   app.post("/api/cms/profile/newScaffold", isEnabled, (req, res) => {
     const profileData = req.body;
     db.profile.create({slug: profileData.slug, ordering: profileData.ordering, dimension: profileData.dimName}).then(profile => {
-      db.profile_content.create({id: profile.id, lang: "en"}).then(() => {
+      db.profile_content.create({id: profile.id, lang: envLoc}).then(() => {
         db.topic.create({ordering: 0, profile_id: profile.id}).then(topic => {
-          db.topic_content.create({id: topic.id, lang: "en"}).then(() => {
+          db.topic_content.create({id: topic.id, lang: envLoc}).then(() => {
             db.profile.findAll(profileReqTreeOnly).then(profiles => {
               profiles = sortProfileTree(db, profiles);
               populateSearch(profileData, db);
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/api/mortarRoute.js b/packages/cms/src/api/mortarRoute.js
index 2ff3a5bb7..9021ae226 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/api/mortarRoute.js
+++ b/packages/cms/src/api/mortarRoute.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const FUNC = require("../utils/FUNC"),
       yn = require("yn");
 
 const verbose = yn(process.env.CANON_CMS_LOGGING);
+const envLoc = process.env.CANON_LANGUAGE_DEFAULT || "en";
 
 const searchMap = {
   cip: "CIP",
@@ -130,11 +131,17 @@ const sortStory = story => {
  */
 
 const bubbleUp = (obj, locale) => {
-  const enCon = obj.content.find(c => c.lang === "en");
+  const fieldSet = [];
+  obj.content.forEach(c => {
+    Object.keys(c).forEach(k => {
+      if (!fieldSet.includes(k)) fieldSet.push(k);
+    });
+  });
+  const defCon = obj.content.find(c => c.lang === envLoc);
   const thisCon = obj.content.find(c => c.lang === locale);
-  Object.keys(enCon).forEach(k => {
+  fieldSet.forEach(k => {
     if (k !== "id" && k !== "lang") {
-      thisCon && thisCon[k] ? obj[k] = thisCon[k] : obj[k] = enCon[k];
+      thisCon && thisCon[k] ? obj[k] = thisCon[k] : obj[k] = defCon ? defCon[k] : "";
     }
   });
   delete obj.content;
@@ -176,14 +183,14 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
 
   app.get("/api/internalprofile/:slug", (req, res) => {
     const {slug} = req.params;
-    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : "en";
+    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : envLoc;
     const reqObj = Object.assign({}, profileReq, {where: {slug}});
     db.profile.findOne(reqObj).then(profile => res.json(sortProfile(extractLocaleContent(profile, locale, "profile"))).end());
   });
 
   app.get("/api/variables/:slug/:id", (req, res) => {
   // app.get("/api/variables/:slug/:id", jsonCache, (req, res) => {
-    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : "en";
+    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : envLoc;
     req.setTimeout(1000 * 60 * 30); // 30 minute timeout for non-cached cube queries
     const {slug, id} = req.params;
 
@@ -366,7 +373,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
   // Endpoint for getting a story
   app.get("/api/story/:id", (req, res) => {
     const {id} = req.params;
-    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : "en";
+    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : envLoc;
     // Using a Sequelize OR when the two OR columns are of different types causes a Sequelize error, necessitating this workaround.
     const reqObj = !isNaN(id) ? Object.assign({}, storyReq, {where: {id}}) : Object.assign({}, storyReq, {where: {slug: id}});
     db.story.findOne(reqObj).then(story => {
@@ -380,7 +387,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
 
   // Endpoint for getting all stories
   app.get("/api/story", (req, res) => {
-    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : "en";
+    const locale = req.query.locale ? req.query.locale : envLoc;
     db.story.findAll({include: [
       {association: "content"},
       {association: "authors", include: [
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/components/cards/GeneratorCard.jsx b/packages/cms/src/components/cards/GeneratorCard.jsx
index a858c67e0..e3e8f61cc 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/components/cards/GeneratorCard.jsx
+++ b/packages/cms/src/components/cards/GeneratorCard.jsx
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class GeneratorCard extends Component {
   }
 
   render() {
-    const {type, variables, item, parentArray, preview, locale} = this.props;
+    const {type, variables, item, parentArray, preview, locale, localeDefault} = this.props;
     const {displayData, minData, isOpen, alertObj} = this.state;
 
     let description = "";
@@ -146,12 +146,12 @@ class GeneratorCard extends Component {
         {/* title & edit toggle button */}
         <h5 className="cms-card-header">
           <span className={`cms-card-header-icon pt-icon-standard pt-icon-th ${type}`} />
-          {locale === "en" ? minData.name : `${minData.name} (${locale})`}
-          {/* In multi-lang, there are two sets of gens and mats, one for english, and one for the other locale.
+          {locale === localeDefault ? minData.name : `${minData.name} (${locale})`}
+          {/* In multi-lang, there are two sets of gens and mats, one for default, and one for the other locale.
             * If we put an edit button on both, then two visual entities can edit the same db structure, which is confusing
-            * the english gen/mat is the "master/only" one, so only show the edit button if this is english (the one for the 
+            * the default gen/mat is the "master/only" one, so only show the edit button if this is default (the one for the 
             * other locale is essentially for display purposes only)*/}
-          {locale === "en" && <button className="cms-button" onClick={this.openEditor.bind(this)}>
+          {locale === localeDefault && <button className="cms-button" onClick={this.openEditor.bind(this)}>
             Edit <span className="pt-icon pt-icon-cog" />
           </button>}
         </h5>
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/components/cards/TextCard.jsx b/packages/cms/src/components/cards/TextCard.jsx
index 1f3eb1be6..486a962e5 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/components/cards/TextCard.jsx
+++ b/packages/cms/src/components/cards/TextCard.jsx
@@ -38,18 +38,24 @@ class TextCard extends Component {
   }
 
   hitDB() {
-    const {item, type, locale} = this.props;
+    const {item, type, locale, localeDefault, fields, plainfields} = this.props;
     const {id} = item;
     axios.get(`/api/cms/${type}/get/${id}`).then(resp => {
-      // If this has been opened with a non english locale, and there is NO row for that locale,
+      // If this has been opened with a non default locale, and there is NO row for that locale,
       // create a placeholder row that can be edited in the text boxes (and later saved)
       const minData = resp.data;
       if (!minData.content.find(c => c.lang === locale)) {
-        const english = minData.content.find(c => c.lang === "en");
+        const def = minData.content.find(c => c.lang === localeDefault);
         const newLangObj = {id: minData.id, lang: locale};
-        Object.keys(english).forEach(k => {
-          if (k !== "id" && k !== "lang") newLangObj[k] = english[k];
-        });
+        // If the default has had any portion filled in, pre-populate the placeholder with those.
+        if (def) {
+          Object.keys(def).forEach(k => {
+            if (k !== "id" && k !== "lang") newLangObj[k] = def[k];
+          });
+        }
+        // If for any reason the default was missing fields, fill the rest with blanks
+        fields.forEach(k => !newLangObj[k] ? newLangObj[k] = "" : null);
+        if (plainfields) plainfields.forEach(k => !newLangObj[k] ? newLangObj[k] = "" : null);
         minData.content.push(newLangObj);
       }
       this.setState({minData}, this.formatDisplay.bind(this));
@@ -57,7 +63,7 @@ class TextCard extends Component {
   }
 
   formatDisplay() {
-    const {variables, selectors, locale} = this.props;
+    const {variables, selectors, locale, localeDefault, fields, plainfields} = this.props;
     const {formatters} = this.context;
     const {minData} = this.state;
     // Setting "selectors" here is pretty hacky. The varSwap needs selectors in order
@@ -66,13 +72,18 @@ class TextCard extends Component {
     minData.selectors = selectors;
     // Swap vars, and extract the actual (multilingual) content
     const content = varSwapRecursive(minData, formatters, variables).content;
-    const english = content.find(c => c.lang === "en");
+    const def = content.find(c => c.lang === localeDefault);
     const currLang = content.find(c => c.lang === locale);
-    // Map over each of the english keys, and fetch its equivalent locale version (or default to english)
+    // Map over each of the default keys, and fetch its equivalent locale version (or default)
     const displayData = {};
-    Object.keys(english).forEach(k => {
-      displayData[k] = currLang[k] ? currLang[k] : english[k];
-    });
+    if (def) {
+      Object.keys(def).forEach(k => {
+        displayData[k] = currLang[k] ? currLang[k] : def[k];
+      });
+    }
+    // If for any reason the default was missing fields, fill the rest with blanks
+    fields.forEach(k => displayData[k] = currLang[k] ? currLang[k] : "");
+    if (plainfields) plainfields.forEach(k => displayData[k] = currLang[k] ? currLang[k] : "");
     this.setState({displayData});  
   }
 
@@ -142,7 +153,6 @@ class TextCard extends Component {
   render() {
     const {displayData, minData, isOpen, alertObj} = this.state;
     const {variables, fields, plainfields, type, parentArray, item, locale} = this.props;
-    const {ordering} = item;
 
     if (!minData || !displayData) return <Loading />;
 
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/components/cards/VisualizationCard.jsx b/packages/cms/src/components/cards/VisualizationCard.jsx
index 78db650f9..313f488de 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/components/cards/VisualizationCard.jsx
+++ b/packages/cms/src/components/cards/VisualizationCard.jsx
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class VisualizationCard extends Component {
     if (!minData) return <Loading />;
 
     const {formatters} = this.context;
-    const {selectors, type, variables, parentArray, item, preview, locale} = this.props;
+    const {selectors, type, variables, parentArray, item, preview, locale, localeDefault} = this.props;
 
     minData.selectors = selectors;
     const {logic} = varSwapRecursive(minData, formatters, variables);
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class VisualizationCard extends Component {
         </Alert>
 
         {/* title & edit toggle button */}
-        {locale === "en" && <h5 className="cms-card-header">
+        {locale === localeDefault && <h5 className="cms-card-header">
           <button className="cms-button" onClick={this.openEditor.bind(this)}>
             Edit <span className="pt-icon pt-icon-cog" />
           </button>
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/story/StoryEditor.jsx b/packages/cms/src/story/StoryEditor.jsx
index c27e7cb90..1bb4e9a96 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/story/StoryEditor.jsx
+++ b/packages/cms/src/story/StoryEditor.jsx
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
         <div className="cms-card-list">
           <TextCard
             item={minData}
-            locale="en"
+            locale={localeDefault}
+            localeDefault={localeDefault}
             fields={["title", "subtitle"]}
             plainfields={["image"]}
             type="story"
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
           {locale && <TextCard
             item={minData}
             locale={locale}
+            localeDefault={localeDefault}
             fields={["title", "subtitle"]}
             plainfields={["image"]}
             type="story"
@@ -162,7 +164,8 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
           { minData.descriptions && minData.descriptions.map(d =>
             <TextCard key={d.id}
               item={d}
-              locale="en"
+              locale={localeDefault}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
               fields={["description"]}
               type="story_description"
@@ -177,6 +180,7 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
             <TextCard key={d.id}
               item={d}
               locale={locale}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
               fields={["description"]}
               type="story_description"
@@ -198,7 +202,8 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
           { minData.footnotes && minData.footnotes.map(d =>
             <TextCard key={d.id}
               item={d}
-              locale="en"
+              locale={localeDefault}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               ordering={d.ordering}
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
               fields={["title", "description"]}
@@ -214,6 +219,7 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
             <TextCard key={d.id}
               item={d}
               locale={locale}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               ordering={d.ordering}
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
               fields={["title", "description"]}
@@ -236,7 +242,8 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
           { minData.authors && minData.authors.map(d =>
             <TextCard key={d.id}
               item={d}
-              locale="en"
+              locale={localeDefault}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
               fields={["bio"]}
               plainfields={["name", "title", "image", "twitter"]}
@@ -252,6 +259,7 @@ class StoryEditor extends Component {
             <TextCard key={d.id}
               item={d}
               locale={locale}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
               fields={["bio"]}
               plainfields={["name", "title", "image", "twitter"]}
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/story/StoryTopicEditor.jsx b/packages/cms/src/story/StoryTopicEditor.jsx
index 97898efd1..616f24450 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/story/StoryTopicEditor.jsx
+++ b/packages/cms/src/story/StoryTopicEditor.jsx
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
   render() {
 
     const {minData} = this.state;
-    const {locale} = this.props;
+    const {locale, localeDefault} = this.props;
 
     if (!minData) return <Loading />;
 
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
         <div className="cms-card-list">
           <TextCard
             item={minData}
-            locale="en"
+            locale={localeDefault}
+            localeDefault={localeDefault}
             fields={["title"]}
             plainfields={["image"]}
             type="storytopic"
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
           {locale && <TextCard
             item={minData}
             locale={locale}
+            localeDefault={localeDefault}
             fields={["title"]}
             plainfields={["image"]}
             type="storytopic"
@@ -159,7 +161,8 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
             <TextCard
               key={s.id}
               item={s}
-              locale="en"
+              locale={localeDefault}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               fields={["subtitle"]}
               type="storytopic_subtitle"
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
@@ -174,6 +177,7 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
             <TextCard
               key={s.id}
               locale={locale}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               item={s}
               fields={["subtitle"]}
               type="storytopic_subtitle"
@@ -197,7 +201,8 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
             <TextCard
               key={s.id}
               item={s}
-              locale="en"
+              locale={localeDefault}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               fields={["title", "subtitle", "value", "tooltip"]}
               type="storytopic_stat"
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
@@ -213,6 +218,7 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
               key={s.id}
               item={s}
               locale={locale}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               fields={["title", "subtitle", "value", "tooltip"]}
               type="storytopic_stat"
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
@@ -235,7 +241,8 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
             <TextCard
               key={d.id}
               item={d}
-              locale="en"
+              locale={localeDefault}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               fields={["description"]}
               type="storytopic_description"
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
@@ -251,6 +258,7 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
               key={d.id}
               item={d}
               locale={locale}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               fields={["description"]}
               type="storytopic_description"
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
@@ -273,6 +281,8 @@ class StoryTopicEditor extends Component {
             <VisualizationCard
               key={v.id}
               item={v}
+              locale={locale}
+              localeDefault={localeDefault}
               onDelete={this.onDelete.bind(this)}
               type="storytopic_visualization"
               variables={{}}
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/utils/d3plusPropify.js b/packages/cms/src/utils/d3plusPropify.js
index 6b16c3500..060a139c5 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/utils/d3plusPropify.js
+++ b/packages/cms/src/utils/d3plusPropify.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import {assign} from "d3plus-common";
 import {parse} from "./FUNC";
 
-export default (logic, formatters = {}, variables = {}, locale = "en") => {
+const envLoc = process.env.CANON_LANGUAGE_DEFAULT || "en";
+
+export default (logic, formatters = {}, variables = {}, locale = envLoc) => {
 
   let config;
 
diff --git a/packages/cms/src/utils/mortarEval.js b/packages/cms/src/utils/mortarEval.js
index a12d81f3c..037716b1c 100644
--- a/packages/cms/src/utils/mortarEval.js
+++ b/packages/cms/src/utils/mortarEval.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 const libs = require("./libs");
 
-module.exports = (varInnerName, varOuterValue, logic, formatterFunctions, locale = "en") => {
+const envLoc = process.env.CANON_LANGUAGE_DEFAULT || "en";
+
+module.exports = (varInnerName, varOuterValue, logic, formatterFunctions, locale = envLoc) => {
   let vars = {};
   // Because logic is arbitrary javascript, it may be malformed. We need to wrap the
   // entire execution in a try/catch.