diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/ExternalContext.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/ExternalContext.java
index c954411f..62ea8174 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/ExternalContext.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/ExternalContext.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package org.springframework.webflow.context;
 
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.security.Principal;
+import java.util.Locale;
 
 import org.springframework.webflow.core.collection.AttributeMap;
 import org.springframework.webflow.core.collection.MutableAttributeMap;
@@ -107,6 +108,12 @@ public interface ExternalContext {
 	 */
 	public Principal getCurrentUser();
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns the client locale.
+	 * @return the locale
+	 */
+	public Locale getLocale();
+
 	/**
 	 * Provides access to the context object for the current environment.
 	 * @return the environment specific context object
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/portlet/PortletExternalContext.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/portlet/PortletExternalContext.java
index 91281273..39035fba 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/portlet/PortletExternalContext.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/portlet/PortletExternalContext.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package org.springframework.webflow.context.portlet;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.security.Principal;
+import java.util.Locale;
 
 import javax.portlet.ActionRequest;
 import javax.portlet.ActionResponse;
@@ -159,6 +160,10 @@ public class PortletExternalContext implements ExternalContext {
 		return request.getUserPrincipal();
 	}
 
+	public Locale getLocale() {
+		return request.getLocale();
+	}
+
 	public Object getNativeContext() {
 		return context;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/servlet/ServletExternalContext.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/servlet/ServletExternalContext.java
index 57028368..b575bd8a 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/servlet/ServletExternalContext.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/context/servlet/ServletExternalContext.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package org.springframework.webflow.context.servlet;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.security.Principal;
+import java.util.Locale;
 
 import javax.servlet.ServletContext;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
@@ -175,6 +176,10 @@ public class ServletExternalContext implements ExternalContext {
 		return request.getUserPrincipal();
 	}
 
+	public Locale getLocale() {
+		return request.getLocale();
+	}
+
 	public Object getNativeContext() {
 		return context;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/test/MockExternalContext.java b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/test/MockExternalContext.java
index d468edf2..4853def0 100644
--- a/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/test/MockExternalContext.java
+++ b/spring-webflow/src/main/java/org/springframework/webflow/test/MockExternalContext.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import java.io.StringWriter;
 import java.io.Writer;
 import java.security.Principal;
 import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Locale;
 
 import org.springframework.binding.collection.SharedMapDecorator;
 import org.springframework.webflow.context.ExternalContext;
@@ -56,6 +57,8 @@ public class MockExternalContext implements ExternalContext {
 
 	private Principal currentUser;
 
+	private Locale locale;
+
 	private StringWriter responseWriter = new StringWriter();
 
 	private boolean ajaxRequest;
@@ -117,6 +120,10 @@ public class MockExternalContext implements ExternalContext {
 		return currentUser;
 	}
 
+	public Locale getLocale() {
+		return locale;
+	}
+
 	public Object getNativeContext() {
 		return nativeContext;
 	}
@@ -247,6 +254,14 @@ public class MockExternalContext implements ExternalContext {
 		this.currentUser = new MockPrincipal(currentUser);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Sets the client locale.
+	 * @param locale the locale
+	 */
+	public void setLocale(Locale locale) {
+		this.locale = locale;
+	}
+
 	// convenience helpers
 
 	/**