diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 869b962..52c155e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ For local development, build the ISO from sibling checkouts:
 
 Despite the local folder name, the first argument is the Omarchy source checkout (runtime commands, configs, setup scripts, themes, shell, migrations). The installer itself lives in this ISO repo.
 
-The configurator asks for the language on its first screen: English or Simplified Chinese. Chinese reruns the installer in cage + foot, a console that draws Chinese, with Noto Sans Mono CJK unpacked from the offline mirror's `noto-fonts-cjk`. It opens on a bilingual language screen, offers only keyboards with a US keymap (cage keeps a US layout) and preselects Chinese (Simplified, Pinyin); every later screen and the install progress read in Chinese. Choosing English there returns to the VT, which applies the chosen keymap. Without a working display or the font, Chinese continues in English on the VT. Either way a Chinese install sets the target's `LANG` to `zh_CN.UTF-8` through archinstall's `locale_config`. The language never decides the region: that follows the timezone. The Chinese text lives in `OMARCHY_ZH` tables beside the English it replaces.
+The configurator asks for the language on its first screen: English or Simplified Chinese. Chinese reruns the installer in cage + foot, a console that draws Chinese, with Noto Sans Mono CJK unpacked from the offline mirror's `noto-fonts-cjk`. It opens on the keyboard screen, offers only keyboards with a US keymap (cage keeps a US layout) and preselects Chinese (Simplified, Pinyin); every later screen and the install progress read in Chinese. Esc there goes back to a bilingual language screen, where English returns to the VT, which applies the chosen keymap. Without a working display or the font, Chinese continues in English on the VT. Either way a Chinese install sets the target's `LANG` to `zh_CN.UTF-8` through archinstall's `locale_config`. The language never decides the region: that follows the timezone. The Chinese text lives in `OMARCHY_ZH` tables beside the English it replaces.
 
 Use `--dev` or `--rc` to build against those package channels. Both `--dev` and `--edge` select the dev packages from the edge mirror.
 
diff --git a/bin/omarchy-iso-test b/bin/omarchy-iso-test
index 31d6460..0398003 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-iso-test
+++ b/bin/omarchy-iso-test
@@ -696,14 +696,7 @@ drive_configurator() {
   if [[ $INSTALL_LANGUAGE == "zh" ]]; then press end; else press home; fi
   press ret
 
-  # Chinese reruns in cage + foot on a bilingual language screen, Chinese preselected.
-  if [[ $INSTALL_LANGUAGE == "zh" ]]; then
-    wait_for_screen "选择语言" 300
-    capture_console "success-installer-01-language-cjk"
-    press ret
-  fi
-
-  # The keyboard follows; Ctrl+C there defers provisioning.
+  # The keyboard follows, for Chinese in cage + foot; Ctrl+C there defers provisioning.
   wait_for_screen "$(lang_text "keyboard layout" "键盘布局")" 300
   capture_console "success-installer-01-keyboard-layout"
 
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/root/configurator b/configs/airootfs/root/configurator
index c4ed7ec..9f3fbc0 100644
--- a/configs/airootfs/root/configurator
+++ b/configs/airootfs/root/configurator
@@ -306,9 +306,14 @@ keyboard_form() {
     say --foreground 8 "$(omarchy_text "Press Ctrl+C to prepare this machine for another owner.")"
     echo
 
-    omarchy_prompt_language && status=0 || status=$?
+    status=0
+    if ! $language_chosen; then
+      omarchy_prompt_language && status=0 || status=$?
+      ((status == 0)) && apply_language
+    fi
+    # Esc, Ctrl+C or a later "No, change it" asks the language again.
+    language_chosen=false
     if ((status == 0)); then
-      apply_language
       local layouts=$OMARCHY_KEYBOARD_LAYOUTS selected="English (US)"
       [[ $language == "zh" ]] && selected="Chinese (Simplified, Pinyin)"
       # cage keeps its US layout, so the CJK console offers only US-keymap keyboards.
@@ -406,7 +411,7 @@ $(omarchy_text "Full name"),${full_name:-$skipped}
 $(omarchy_text "Email address"),${email_address:-$skipped}
 $(omarchy_text Hostname),$hostname
 $(omarchy_text Timezone),$timezone$region_row
-$(omarchy_text Keyboard),$keyboard" |
+$(omarchy_text Keyboard),\"$keyboard_label\"" |
       gum table -s "," -p | sed "s/^/${PADDING_LEFT_SPACES}/"
 
     echo
@@ -1146,6 +1151,7 @@ defer_provisioning=false
 install_target="full_disk"
 # A rerun arrives with the language chosen; otherwise English.
 language="${OMARCHY_INSTALL_LANGUAGE:-en}"
+language_chosen=false
 
 # Let the live VT reach its settled width before the first screen so the logo
 # isn't measured against the transient 80-column boot console.
@@ -1153,6 +1159,7 @@ wait_for_stable_terminal
 
 if [[ -n ${OMARCHY_INSTALL_LANGUAGE:-} ]]; then
   apply_language
+  language_chosen=true
 else
   greeter
 fi