diff --git a/src/plugins/hooks.js b/src/plugins/hooks.js
index aa471af6a8..8a5d1a885d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/hooks.js
+++ b/src/plugins/hooks.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 const winston = require('winston');
 const plugins = require('.');
 const utils = require('../utils');
+const als = require('../als');
 
 const Hooks = module.exports;
 
@@ -185,7 +186,6 @@ Hooks.fire = async function (hook, params) {
 	}
 	let deleteCaller = false;
 	if (params && typeof params === 'object' && !Array.isArray(params) && !params.hasOwnProperty('caller')) {
-		const als = require('../als');
 		params.caller = als.getStore();
 		deleteCaller = true;
 	}
diff --git a/src/routes/helpers.js b/src/routes/helpers.js
index b43f53fd3e..34a455076e 100644
--- a/src/routes/helpers.js
+++ b/src/routes/helpers.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ helpers.setupPageRoute = function (...args) {
 	}
 
 	middlewares = [
+		middleware.autoLocale,
 		middleware.applyBlacklist,
 		middleware.authenticateRequest,
 		middleware.redirectToHomeIfBanned,
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ helpers.setupAdminPageRoute = function (...args) {
 	if (args.length === 5) {
 		winston.warn(`[helpers.setupAdminPageRoute(${name})] passing \`middleware\` as the third param is deprecated, it can now be safely removed`);
 	}
-	router.get(name, middleware.admin.buildHeader, middlewares, helpers.tryRoute(controller));
+	router.get(name, middleware.autoLocale, middleware.admin.buildHeader, middlewares, helpers.tryRoute(controller));
 	router.get(`/api${name}`, middlewares, helpers.tryRoute(controller));
 };
 
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ helpers.setupApiRoute = function (...args) {
 	const controller = args[args.length - 1];
 
 	middlewares = [
+		middleware.autoLocale,
 		middleware.applyBlacklist,
 		middleware.authenticateRequest,
 		middleware.maintenanceMode,
diff --git a/src/socket.io/index.js b/src/socket.io/index.js
index bef29f7e66..43804c22d3 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/index.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/index.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ const logger = require('../logger');
 const plugins = require('../plugins');
 const ratelimit = require('../middleware/ratelimit');
 const blacklist = require('../meta/blacklist');
+const als = require('../als');
+const apiHelpers = require('../api/helpers');
 
 const Namespaces = Object.create(null);
 
@@ -88,8 +90,7 @@ function onConnection(socket) {
 	onConnect(socket);
 	socket.onAny((event, ...args) => {
 		const payload = { event: event, ...deserializePayload(args) };
-		const als = require('../als');
-		const apiHelpers = require('../api/helpers');
+
 		als.run({
 			uid: socket.uid,
 			req: apiHelpers.buildReqObject(socket, payload),
diff --git a/src/webserver.js b/src/webserver.js
index fac7fe1e98..46455f104e 100644
--- a/src/webserver.js
+++ b/src/webserver.js
@@ -182,7 +182,6 @@ function setupExpressApp(app) {
 			req: apiHelpers.buildReqObject(req),
 		}, next);
 	});
-	app.use(middleware.autoLocale); // must be added after auth middlewares are added
 
 	const toobusy = require('toobusy-js');
 	toobusy.maxLag(meta.config.eventLoopLagThreshold);