diff --git a/gdb/gdbthread.h b/gdb/gdbthread.h
index b2c6baf4432..a8ad11b3468 100644
--- a/gdb/gdbthread.h
+++ b/gdb/gdbthread.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ struct symtab;
 #include "displaced-stepping.h"
 #include "gdbsupport/intrusive_list.h"
 #include "thread-fsm.h"
+#include "language.h"
 
 struct inferior;
 struct process_stratum_target;
@@ -904,7 +905,7 @@ private:
   /* Save/restore the language as well, because selecting a frame
      changes the current language to the frame's language if "set
      language auto".  */
-  enum language m_lang;
+  scoped_restore_current_language m_lang;
 };
 
 /* Returns a pointer into the thread_info corresponding to
diff --git a/gdb/language.c b/gdb/language.c
index 12a953eaa96..3fbd735a697 100644
--- a/gdb/language.c
+++ b/gdb/language.c
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ enum case_sensitivity case_sensitivity = case_sensitive_on;
 /* The current language and language_mode (see language.h).  */
 
 static const struct language_defn *global_current_language;
+static lazily_set_language_ftype *lazy_language_setter;
 enum language_mode language_mode = language_mode_auto;
 
 /* See language.h.  */
@@ -87,9 +88,41 @@ enum language_mode language_mode = language_mode_auto;
 const struct language_defn *
 get_current_language ()
 {
+  if (lazy_language_setter != nullptr)
+    {
+      /* Avoid recursive calls -- set_language refers to
+	 current_language.  */
+      lazily_set_language_ftype *call = lazy_language_setter;
+      lazy_language_setter = nullptr;
+      call ();
+    }
   return global_current_language;
 }
 
+void
+lazily_set_language (lazily_set_language_ftype *fun)
+{
+  lazy_language_setter = fun;
+}
+
+scoped_restore_current_language::scoped_restore_current_language ()
+  : m_lang (global_current_language),
+    m_fun (lazy_language_setter)
+{
+}
+
+scoped_restore_current_language::~scoped_restore_current_language ()
+{
+  /* If both are NULL, then that means dont_restore was called.  */
+  if (m_lang != nullptr || m_fun != nullptr)
+    {
+      global_current_language = m_lang;
+      lazy_language_setter = m_fun;
+      if (lazy_language_setter == nullptr)
+	set_range_case ();
+    }
+}
+
 /* The language that the user expects to be typing in (the language
    of main(), or the last language we notified them about, or C).  */
 
@@ -185,6 +218,7 @@ set_language (const char *language)
 
       /* Found it!  Go into manual mode, and use this language.  */
       language_mode = language_mode_manual;
+      lazy_language_setter = nullptr;
       global_current_language = lang;
       set_range_case ();
       expected_language = lang;
@@ -372,6 +406,7 @@ set_range_case (void)
 void
 set_language (enum language lang)
 {
+  lazy_language_setter = nullptr;
   global_current_language = language_def (lang);
   set_range_case ();
 }
diff --git a/gdb/language.h b/gdb/language.h
index 6ff6f5eb95f..6cbcd119dac 100644
--- a/gdb/language.h
+++ b/gdb/language.h
@@ -787,6 +787,10 @@ extern void language_info ();
 
 extern void set_language (enum language lang);
 
+typedef void lazily_set_language_ftype ();
+extern void lazily_set_language (lazily_set_language_ftype *fun);
+
+
 /* Test a character to decide whether it can be printed in literal form
    or needs to be printed in another representation.  For example,
    in C the literal form of the character with octal value 141 is 'a'
@@ -837,14 +841,14 @@ class scoped_restore_current_language
 {
 public:
 
-  explicit scoped_restore_current_language ()
-    : m_lang (current_language->la_language)
-  {
-  }
+  scoped_restore_current_language ();
+  ~scoped_restore_current_language ();
 
-  ~scoped_restore_current_language ()
+  scoped_restore_current_language (scoped_restore_current_language &&other)
   {
-    set_language (m_lang);
+    m_lang = other.m_lang;
+    m_fun = other.m_fun;
+    other.dont_restore ();
   }
 
   scoped_restore_current_language (const scoped_restore_current_language &)
@@ -852,9 +856,18 @@ public:
   scoped_restore_current_language &operator=
       (const scoped_restore_current_language &) = delete;
 
+  /* Cancel restoring on scope exit.  */
+  void dont_restore ()
+  {
+    /* This is implemented using a sentinel value.  */
+    m_lang = nullptr;
+    m_fun = nullptr;
+  }
+
 private:
 
-  enum language m_lang;
+  const language_defn *m_lang;
+  lazily_set_language_ftype *m_fun;
 };
 
 /* If language_mode is language_mode_auto,
diff --git a/gdb/symfile.c b/gdb/symfile.c
index d218dfe7c6d..bdcc27e7ee5 100644
--- a/gdb/symfile.c
+++ b/gdb/symfile.c
@@ -1684,13 +1684,11 @@ symbol_file_command (const char *args, int from_tty)
     }
 }
 
-/* Set the initial language.  */
+/* Lazily set the initial language.  */
 
-void
-set_initial_language (void)
+static void
+set_initial_language_callback ()
 {
-  if (language_mode == language_mode_manual)
-    return;
   enum language lang = main_language ();
   /* Make C the default language.  */
   enum language default_lang = language_c;
@@ -1715,6 +1713,16 @@ set_initial_language (void)
   expected_language = current_language; /* Don't warn the user.  */
 }
 
+/* Set the initial language.  */
+
+void
+set_initial_language (void)
+{
+  if (language_mode == language_mode_manual)
+    return;
+  lazily_set_language (set_initial_language_callback);
+}
+
 /* Open the file specified by NAME and hand it off to BFD for
    preliminary analysis.  Return a newly initialized bfd *, which
    includes a newly malloc'd` copy of NAME (tilde-expanded and made
diff --git a/gdb/thread.c b/gdb/thread.c
index bd3fe85f3b9..f03a60c4d01 100644
--- a/gdb/thread.c
+++ b/gdb/thread.c
@@ -1438,13 +1438,13 @@ scoped_restore_current_thread::restore ()
       && target_has_stack ()
       && target_has_memory ())
     restore_selected_frame (m_selected_frame_id, m_selected_frame_level);
-
-  set_language (m_lang);
 }
 
 scoped_restore_current_thread::~scoped_restore_current_thread ()
 {
-  if (!m_dont_restore)
+  if (m_dont_restore)
+    m_lang.dont_restore ();
+  else
     restore ();
 }
 
@@ -1452,8 +1452,6 @@ scoped_restore_current_thread::scoped_restore_current_thread ()
 {
   m_inf = inferior_ref::new_reference (current_inferior ());
 
-  m_lang = current_language->la_language;
-
   if (inferior_ptid != null_ptid)
     {
       m_thread = thread_info_ref::new_reference (inferior_thread ());