diff --git a/newgrf.c b/newgrf.c
index 53224f5332..101025d299 100644
--- a/newgrf.c
+++ b/newgrf.c
@@ -1961,13 +1961,17 @@ static void FeatureNewName(byte *buf, int len)
 	uint16 endid;
 	const char* name;
 	bool new_scheme = _cur_grffile->grf_version >= 7;
+	bool generic;
 
 	check_length(len, 6, "FeatureNewName");
 	buf++;
 	feature  = grf_load_byte(&buf);
 	lang     = grf_load_byte(&buf);
 	num      = grf_load_byte(&buf);
-	id       = (lang & 0x80) ? grf_load_word(&buf) : grf_load_byte(&buf);
+	generic  = HASBIT(lang, 7);
+	id       = generic ? grf_load_word(&buf) : grf_load_byte(&buf);
+
+	CLRBIT(lang, 7);
 
 	if (feature <= GSF_AIRCRAFT && id < _vehcounts[feature]) {
 		id += _vehshifts[feature];
@@ -1978,7 +1982,8 @@ static void FeatureNewName(byte *buf, int len)
 	               id, endid, feature, lang);
 
 	name = (const char*)buf; /*transfer read value*/
-	len -= (lang & 0x80) ? 6 : 5;
+	len -= generic ? 6 : 5;
+
 	for (; id < endid && len > 0; id++) {
 		size_t ofs = strlen(name) + 1;
 
diff --git a/newgrf_text.c b/newgrf_text.c
index 884e12ee4a..09a9706577 100644
--- a/newgrf_text.c
+++ b/newgrf_text.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ StringID AddGRFString(uint32 grfid, uint16 stringid, byte langid_to_add, bool ne
 
 	newtext = malloc(sizeof(*newtext) + strlen(text_to_add) + 1);
 	newtext->next   = NULL;
-	newtext->langid = GB(langid_to_add, 0, 6);
+	newtext->langid = langid_to_add;
 	strcpy(newtext->text, text_to_add);
 
 	TranslateTTDPatchCodes(newtext->text);
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ StringID AddGRFString(uint32 grfid, uint16 stringid, byte langid_to_add, bool ne
 
 		/* Loop through all languages and see if we can replace a string */
 		for (ptext = &_grf_text[id].textholder; (text = *ptext) != NULL; ptext = &text->next) {
-			if (text->langid != GB(langid_to_add, 0, 6)) continue;
+			if (text->langid != langid_to_add) continue;
 			newtext->next = text->next;
 			*ptext = newtext;
 			free(text);
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ char *GetGRFString(char *buff, uint16 stringid, const char* last)
 
 		/* If the current string is English or American, set it as the
 		 * fallback language if the specific language isn't available. */
-		if (search_text->langid == GRFLX_ENGLISH || search_text->langid == GRFLX_AMERICAN) {
+		if (search_text->langid == GRFLX_UNSPECIFIED || (default_text == NULL && (search_text->langid == GRFLX_ENGLISH || search_text->langid == GRFLX_AMERICAN))) {
 			default_text = search_text;
 		}
 	}