diff --git a/lib/tasks/load_default_data.rake b/lib/tasks/load_default_data.rake
index c213ad79e..24e1b05f8 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/load_default_data.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/load_default_data.rake
@@ -1,24 +1,27 @@
-desc 'Load Redmine default configuration data'
+desc 'Load Redmine default configuration data. Language is chosen interactively or by setting REDMINE_LANG environment variable.'
 
 namespace :redmine do
   task :load_default_data => :environment do
     include Redmine::I18n
     set_language_if_valid('en')
-    puts
     
-    while true
-      print "Select language: "
-      print valid_languages.collect(&:to_s).sort.join(", ")
-      print " [#{current_language}] "
+    envlang = ENV['REDMINE_LANG']
+    if !envlang || !set_language_if_valid(envlang)
+      puts
+      while true
+        print "Select language: "
+        print valid_languages.collect(&:to_s).sort.join(", ")
+        print " [#{current_language}] "
+        STDOUT.flush
+        lang = STDIN.gets.chomp!
+        break if lang.empty?
+        break if set_language_if_valid(lang)
+        puts "Unknown language!"
+      end
       STDOUT.flush
-      lang = STDIN.gets.chomp!
-      break if lang.empty?
-      break if set_language_if_valid(lang)
-      puts "Unknown language!"
+      puts "===================================="
     end
     
-    puts "===================================="
-    
     begin
       Redmine::DefaultData::Loader.load(current_language)
       puts "Default configuration data loaded."