diff --git a/bin/addons/base/module/module.py b/bin/addons/base/module/module.py
index ba79dea4e13..6bd92df83d4 100644
--- a/bin/addons/base/module/module.py
+++ b/bin/addons/base/module/module.py
@@ -495,15 +495,23 @@ class module(osv.osv):
             for lang in filter_lang:
                 iso_lang = tools.get_iso_codes(lang)
                 f = addons.get_module_resource(mod.name, 'i18n', iso_lang + '.po')
+                context2 = context and context.copy() or {}
+                if f and '_' in iso_lang:
+                    iso_lang2 = iso_lang.split('_')[0]
+                    f2 = addons.get_module_resource(mod.name, 'i18n', iso_lang2 + '.po')
+                    if f2:
+                        logger.info('module %s: loading base translation file %s for language %s', mod.name, iso_lang2, lang)
+                        tools.trans_load(cr.dbname, f2, lang, verbose=False, context=context)
+                        context2['overwrite'] = True
                 # Implementation notice: we must first search for the full name of
                 # the language derivative, like "en_UK", and then the generic,
                 # like "en".
                 if (not f) and '_' in iso_lang:
-                    f = addons.get_module_resource(mod.name, 'i18n', iso_lang.split('_')[0] + '.po')
                     iso_lang = iso_lang.split('_')[0]
+                    f = addons.get_module_resource(mod.name, 'i18n', iso_lang + '.po')
                 if f:
-                    logger.info('module %s: loading translation file for language %s', mod.name, iso_lang)
-                    tools.trans_load(cr.dbname, f, lang, verbose=False, context=context)
+                    logger.info('module %s: loading translation file (%s) for language %s', mod.name, iso_lang, lang)
+                    tools.trans_load(cr.dbname, f, lang, verbose=False, context=context2)
                 elif iso_lang != 'en':
                     logger.warning('module %s: no translation for language %s', mod.name, iso_lang)
 
diff --git a/bin/tools/translate.py b/bin/tools/translate.py
index 1e29b4f474e..6bd5f0dbce2 100644
--- a/bin/tools/translate.py
+++ b/bin/tools/translate.py
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ def trans_load_data(db_name, fileobj, fileformat, lang, lang_name=None, verbose=
                 args.append(('res_id', '=', dic['res_id']))
             ids = trans_obj.search(cr, uid, args)
             if ids:
-                if context.get('overwrite'):
+                if context.get('overwrite') and dic['value']:
                     trans_obj.write(cr, uid, ids, {'value': dic['value']})
             else:
                 trans_obj.create(cr, uid, dic)