diff --git a/src/lib/i18n/utils.test.tsx b/src/lib/i18n/utils.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f49dd57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/i18n/utils.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// In-memory stand-in for the MMKV string hook (mirrors the global
+// react-native-mmkv manual mock, plus useMMKVString).
+const mockMMKVStrings = new Map<string, string>();
+
+jest.mock('react-native-mmkv', () => ({
+  createMMKV: jest.fn(() => ({
+    set: jest.fn(),
+    getString: jest.fn(() => undefined),
+    getAllKeys: jest.fn(() => []),
+    remove: jest.fn(),
+  })),
+  useMMKVString: (key: string) => [
+    mockMMKVStrings.get(key),
+    (value: string) => {
+      mockMMKVStrings.set(key, value);
+    },
+  ],
+}));
+
+import { renderHook } from '@testing-library/react-native';
+
+import i18n from './index';
+import { LOCAL, useSelectedLanguage } from './utils';
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  mockMMKVStrings.clear();
+});
+
+describe('useSelectedLanguage', () => {
+  it('falls back to the language i18n is actually rendering before any pick', () => {
+    // Fresh install: nothing stored under the LOCAL key — the selector must
+    // still highlight what the bootstrap detected (i18n.language), not nothing.
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useSelectedLanguage());
+
+    expect(result.current.language).toBe(i18n.language);
+  });
+
+  it('prefers the stored language once the user has picked one', async () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useSelectedLanguage());
+
+    result.current.setLanguage('ja');
+
+    // The stored pick wins on the next mount (and i18n switched too).
+    expect(i18n.language).toBe('ja');
+    expect(mockMMKVStrings.get(LOCAL)).toBe('ja');
+    const { result: again } = renderHook(() => useSelectedLanguage());
+    expect(again.current.language).toBe('ja');
+
+    // Restore the default for other suites sharing the i18n singleton.
+    await i18n.changeLanguage('en');
+    mockMMKVStrings.set(LOCAL, 'en');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/i18n/utils.tsx b/src/lib/i18n/utils.tsx
index fb452c8..ac69f85 100644
--- a/src/lib/i18n/utils.tsx
+++ b/src/lib/i18n/utils.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { useMMKVString } from 'react-native-mmkv';
 
 import { storage } from '../storage';
-import type { Language, resources } from './resources';
+import { type Language, resources } from './resources';
 import type { RecursiveKeyOf } from './types';
 
 type DefaultLocale = typeof resources.en.translation;
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ export const changeLanguage = (lang: Language) => {
   void i18n.changeLanguage(lang);
 };
 
+/**
+ * The active language for selectors: the stored preference, or — before the
+ * user has ever picked one — whatever the i18n bootstrap detected and is
+ * actually rendering. Reading the i18n instance (instead of re-deriving from
+ * the device locale) keeps the highlighted pill and the rendered language
+ * from disagreeing on a fresh install.
+ */
 export const useSelectedLanguage = () => {
   const [language, setLang] = useMMKVString(LOCAL);
 
@@ -45,5 +52,8 @@ export const useSelectedLanguage = () => {
     [setLang]
   );
 
-  return { language: language as Language, setLanguage };
+  const fallback = i18n.language && i18n.language in resources ? (i18n.language as Language) : 'en';
+  const selected: Language = language && language in resources ? (language as Language) : fallback;
+
+  return { language: selected, setLanguage };
 };