diff --git a/lib/core/nav/HeaderNav.js b/lib/core/nav/HeaderNav.js
index 1278ae168d..b44d60d775 100644
--- a/lib/core/nav/HeaderNav.js
+++ b/lib/core/nav/HeaderNav.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const siteConfig = require(CWD + "/siteConfig.js");
 const translation = require("../../server/translation.js");
 
 const translate = require("../../server/translate.js").translate;
+const setLanguage = require("../../server/translate.js").setLanguage;
 
 const ENABLE_TRANSLATION = fs.existsSync(CWD + "/languages.js");
 const ENABLE_VERSIONING = fs.existsSync(CWD + "/versions.json");
@@ -20,7 +21,6 @@ let versions;
 if (ENABLE_VERSIONING) {
   versions = require(CWD + "/versions.json");
 }
-require("../../server/readMetadata.js").generateMetadataDocs();
 const Metadata = require("../metadata.js");
 
 // language dropdown nav item for when translations are enabled
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class LanguageDropDown extends React.Component {
   render() {
     const enabledLanguages = [];
     let currentLanguage = "English";
+    setLanguage(this.props.language);
     let helpTranslateString = translate(
       "Help Translate|recruit community translators for your project"
     );
diff --git a/lib/server/readMetadata.js b/lib/server/readMetadata.js
index 7c71981c47..792afc9a5c 100644
--- a/lib/server/readMetadata.js
+++ b/lib/server/readMetadata.js
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ function processMetadata(file) {
 
 // process metadata for all docs and save into core/metadata.js
 function generateMetadataDocs() {
+  console.log("Generating Metadata for Docs....");
   const order = readSidebar();
 
   const regexSubFolder = /translated_docs\/(.*)\/.*/;
@@ -191,6 +192,7 @@ function generateMetadataDocs() {
   });
 
   const metadatas = {};
+  const defaultMetadatas = {};
 
   // metadata for english files
   let files = glob.sync(CWD + "/../docs/**");
@@ -206,6 +208,34 @@ function generateMetadataDocs() {
       }
       let metadata = res.metadata;
       metadatas[metadata.id] = metadata;
+
+      // create a default list of documents for each enabled language based on docs in English
+      // these will get replaced if/when the localized file is downloaded from crowdin
+      enabledLanguages
+        .filter(currentLanguage => {
+          return currentLanguage != "en";
+        })
+        .map(currentLanguage => {
+          let baseMetadata = Object.assign({}, metadata);
+          baseMetadata["id"] = baseMetadata["id"]
+            .toString()
+            .replace(/^en-/, currentLanguage + "-");
+          if (baseMetadata["permalink"])
+            baseMetadata["permalink"] = baseMetadata["permalink"]
+              .toString()
+              .replace(/^docs\/en\//, "docs/" + currentLanguage + "/");
+          if (baseMetadata["next"])
+            baseMetadata["next"] = baseMetadata["next"]
+              .toString()
+              .replace(/^en-/, currentLanguage + "-");
+          if (baseMetadata["previous"])
+            baseMetadata["previous"] = baseMetadata["previous"]
+              .toString()
+              .replace(/^en-/, currentLanguage + "-");
+          baseMetadata["language"] = currentLanguage;
+          defaultMetadatas[baseMetadata["id"]] = baseMetadata;
+        });
+      Object.assign(metadatas, defaultMetadatas);
     }
   });