diff --git a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
index 6848505d3..12eec1ba3 100644
--- a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
+++ b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
                                "--dont-tex-check-comments"))
 
      (unless ispell-dictionary
-       (setq ispell-dictionary "en"))
+       (setq ispell-dictionary "english"))
      (unless ispell-aspell-dict-dir
        (setq ispell-aspell-dict-dir
              (ispell-get-aspell-config-value "dict-dir")))