diff --git a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
index cd8fef0bb..5886d7979 100644
--- a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
+++ b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
                                "--run-together"))
 
      (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")))