diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 6515274086a..992cf453b20 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -4508,12 +4508,6 @@ function get_list_of_countries() {
 
     $lang = current_language();
 
-    if (!empty($CFG->unicodedb)) {
-        $defaultlang = 'en_utf8';
-    } else {
-        $defaultlang = 'en';
-    }
-
     if (!file_exists($CFG->dirroot .'/lang/'. $lang .'/countries.php') &&
         !file_exists($CFG->dataroot.'/lang/'. $lang .'/countries.php')) {
         if ($parentlang = get_string('parentlanguage')) {
@@ -4521,10 +4515,10 @@ function get_list_of_countries() {
                 file_exists($CFG->dataroot.'/lang/'. $parentlang .'/countries.php')) {
                 $lang = $parentlang;
             } else {
-                $lang = $defaultlang;  // countries.php must exist in this pack
+                $lang = 'en_utf8';  // countries.php must exist in this pack
             }
         } else {
-            $lang = $defaultlang;  // countries.php must exist in this pack
+            $lang = 'en_utf8';  // countries.php must exist in this pack
         }
     }