diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/asset_storage_handlers.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/asset_storage_handlers.py
index e49c6fe1f7..02857b11de 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/asset_storage_handlers.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/asset_storage_handlers.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from common.djangoapps.util.date_utils import get_default_time_display
 from common.djangoapps.util.json_request import JsonResponse
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.contentserver.caching import del_cached_content
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.site_configuration import helpers as configuration_helpers
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.models import UserPreference
 from openedx_filters.content_authoring.filters import LMSPageURLRequested
 from xmodule.contentstore.content import StaticContent  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-order
 from xmodule.contentstore.django import contentstore  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=wrong-import-order
@@ -194,7 +195,9 @@ def _assets_json(request, course_key):
     '''
     request_options = _parse_request_to_dictionary(request)
 
-    filter_parameters = {}
+    filter_parameters = {
+        'user_language': UserPreference.get_value(request.user, 'pref-lang') or 'en',
+    }
 
     if request_options['requested_asset_type']:
         filters_are_invalid_error = _get_error_if_invalid_parameters(request_options['requested_asset_type'])
diff --git a/xmodule/contentstore/mongo.py b/xmodule/contentstore/mongo.py
index b436474f17..4860f81605 100644
--- a/xmodule/contentstore/mongo.py
+++ b/xmodule/contentstore/mongo.py
@@ -311,7 +311,9 @@ class MongoContentStore(ContentStore):
             md5: An md5 hash of the asset content
         '''
         query = query_for_course(course_key, 'asset' if not get_thumbnails else 'thumbnail')
+        user_language = 'en'
         if filter_params:
+            user_language = filter_params.pop('user_language', 'en')
             query.update(filter_params)
 
         # Count total matching documents
@@ -335,7 +337,9 @@ class MongoContentStore(ContentStore):
                     'thumbnail_location': 1,
                     'md5': 1
                 })
-                cursor = cursor.sort('displayname', sort['displayname']).collation({'locale': 'en', 'strength': 2})
+                cursor = cursor.sort('displayname', sort['displayname']).collation(
+                    {'locale': user_language, 'strength': 2}
+                )
             else:
                 # Apply simple sorting
                 sort_list = list(sort.items())