diff --git a/bin/addons/__init__.py b/bin/addons/__init__.py
index 29f81f97928..6e5bd3b567b 100644
--- a/bin/addons/__init__.py
+++ b/bin/addons/__init__.py
@@ -827,6 +827,10 @@ def load_modules(db, force_demo=False, status=None, update_module=False):
             raise osv.osv.except_osv(_('Could not load base module'), _('module base cannot be loaded! (hint: verify addons-path)'))
         has_updates = load_module_graph(cr, graph, status, perform_checks=(not update_module), report=report, skip_cleanup=True)
 
+        if tools.config['load_language']:
+            for lang in tools.config['load_language'].split(','):
+                tools.load_language(cr, lang)
+
         if update_module:
             modobj = pool.get('ir.module.module')
             logger.notifyChannel('init', netsvc.LOG_INFO, 'updating modules list')
diff --git a/bin/addons/base/module/module.py b/bin/addons/base/module/module.py
index 6bd92df83d4..d90ef415951 100644
--- a/bin/addons/base/module/module.py
+++ b/bin/addons/base/module/module.py
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ class module(osv.osv):
                 categs = categs[1:]
             self.write(cr, uid, [mod_browse.id], {'category_id': p_id})
 
-    def update_translations(self, cr, uid, ids, filter_lang=None, context=None):
+    def update_translations(self, cr, uid, ids, filter_lang=None, context={}):
         logger = logging.getLogger('i18n')
         if not filter_lang:
             pool = pooler.get_pool(cr.dbname)
diff --git a/bin/openerp-server.py b/bin/openerp-server.py
index 72bc5d037d8..5c67c879d84 100755
--- a/bin/openerp-server.py
+++ b/bin/openerp-server.py
@@ -119,13 +119,17 @@ if not ( tools.config["stop_after_init"] or \
 if tools.config['db_name']:
     for dbname in tools.config['db_name'].split(','):
         db,pool = pooler.get_db_and_pool(dbname, update_module=tools.config['init'] or tools.config['update'], pooljobs=False)
+        cr = db.cursor()
+
         if tools.config["test_file"]:
             logger.info('loading test file %s', tools.config["test_file"])
-            cr = db.cursor()
             tools.convert_yaml_import(cr, 'base', file(tools.config["test_file"]), {}, 'test', True)
             cr.rollback()
+
         pool.get('ir.cron')._poolJobs(db.dbname)
 
+        cr.close()
+
 #----------------------------------------------------------
 # translation stuff
 #----------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/bin/tools/config.py b/bin/tools/config.py
index 144ce3e1e98..12358beac34 100644
--- a/bin/tools/config.py
+++ b/bin/tools/config.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class configmanager(object):
             'translate_in': None,
             'translate_out': None,
             'overwrite_existing_translations': False,
+            'load_language': None,
             'language': None,
             'pg_path': None,
             'admin_passwd': 'admin',
@@ -210,6 +211,8 @@ class configmanager(object):
             "Option '-l' is mandatory in case of importation"
             )
 
+        group.add_option('--load-language', dest="load_language",
+                         help="specifies the languages for the translations you want to be loaded")
         group.add_option('-l', "--language", dest="language",
                          help="specify the language of the translation file. Use it with --i18n-export or --i18n-import")
         group.add_option("--i18n-export", dest="translate_out",
@@ -291,7 +294,8 @@ class configmanager(object):
                 self.options[arg] = getattr(opt, arg)
 
         keys = [
-            'language', 'translate_out', 'translate_in', 'overwrite_existing_translations', 'debug_mode', 'smtp_ssl',
+            'language', 'translate_out', 'translate_in', 'overwrite_existing_translations',
+            'debug_mode', 'smtp_ssl', 'load_language',
             'stop_after_init', 'logrotate', 'without_demo', 'netrpc', 'xmlrpc', 'syslog',
             'list_db', 'xmlrpcs',
             'test_file', 'test_disable', 'test_commit', 'test_report_directory'
diff --git a/bin/tools/translate.py b/bin/tools/translate.py
index 5cc69f50530..e22c51af0fd 100644
--- a/bin/tools/translate.py
+++ b/bin/tools/translate.py
@@ -1007,5 +1007,18 @@ def resetlocale():
         except locale.Error:
             continue
 
+def load_language(cr, lang):
+    """Loads a translation terms for a language.
+    Used mainly to automate language loading at db initialization.
+    
+    :param lang: language ISO code with optional _underscore_ and l10n flavor (ex: 'fr', 'fr_BE', but not 'fr-BE')
+    :type lang: str
+    """
+    pool = pooler.get_pool(cr.dbname)
+    language_installer = pool.get('base.language.install')
+    uid = 1
+    oid = language_installer.create(cr, uid, {'lang': lang})
+    language_installer.lang_install(cr, uid, [oid], context=None)
+
 # vim:expandtab:smartindent:tabstop=4:softtabstop=4:shiftwidth=4: