diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-aleph-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-aleph-extension/Extension.ts
index 88ba7acdb..47390eb9d 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-aleph-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-aleph-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -31,9 +31,6 @@ export default class Extension extends BaseExtension<Config>
   settingsDialogue: SettingsDialogue;
   shareDialogue: ShareDialogue;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
 
   create(): void {
     super.create();
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-av-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-av-extension/Extension.ts
index b1b4b5908..3f72620d5 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-av-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-av-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ export default class Extension extends BaseExtension<Config>
   settingsDialogue: SettingsDialogue;
   shareDialogue: ShareDialogue;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
   lastAvCanvasIndex?: number;
 
   create(): void {
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-default-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-default-extension/Extension.ts
index db66fb891..9c2f9f08f 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-default-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-default-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ export default class Extension extends BaseExtension<Config>
   rightPanel: MoreInfoRightPanel;
   settingsDialogue: SettingsDialogue;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
 
   create(): void {
     super.create();
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-ebook-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-ebook-extension/Extension.ts
index 08d86d794..94ef931ca 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-ebook-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-ebook-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ export default class Extension extends BaseExtension<Config>
   shareDialogue: ShareDialogue;
   cfiFragement: string;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
 
   create(): void {
     super.create();
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-mediaelement-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-mediaelement-extension/Extension.ts
index d2b738b8a..2f196c304 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-mediaelement-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-mediaelement-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ export default class Extension extends BaseExtension<Config>
   rightPanel: MoreInfoRightPanel;
   settingsDialogue: SettingsDialogue;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
 
   create(): void {
     super.create();
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-model-viewer-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-model-viewer-extension/Extension.ts
index 73b218f06..70ab09d49 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-model-viewer-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-model-viewer-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@ export default class ModelViewerExtension extends BaseExtension<Config> {
   settingsDialogue: SettingsDialogue;
   shareDialogue: ShareDialogue;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
 
   create(): void {
     super.create();
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-openseadragon-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-openseadragon-extension/Extension.ts
index a24c6bc1e..70fc7cae1 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-openseadragon-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-openseadragon-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -82,9 +82,6 @@ export default class OpenSeadragonExtension extends BaseExtension<Config> {
   settingsDialogue: SettingsDialogue;
   shareDialogue: ShareDialogue;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
 
   create(): void {
     super.create();
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-pdf-extension/Extension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-pdf-extension/Extension.ts
index b2152407f..88a7af2e7 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-pdf-extension/Extension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/extensions/uv-pdf-extension/Extension.ts
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ export default class Extension extends BaseExtension<Config>
   rightPanel: MoreInfoRightPanel;
   settingsDialogue: SettingsDialogue;
   defaultConfig: Config = defaultConfig;
-  locales = {
-    "en-GB": defaultConfig,
-  };
 
   create(): void {
     super.create();
diff --git a/src/content-handlers/iiif/modules/uv-shared-module/BaseExtension.ts b/src/content-handlers/iiif/modules/uv-shared-module/BaseExtension.ts
index 38f77b818..f98a7ce7f 100644
--- a/src/content-handlers/iiif/modules/uv-shared-module/BaseExtension.ts
+++ b/src/content-handlers/iiif/modules/uv-shared-module/BaseExtension.ts
@@ -79,7 +79,15 @@ export class BaseExtension<T extends BaseConfig> implements IExtension {
   tabbing: boolean = false;
   browserDetect: BrowserDetect;
   locales = {};
-  defaultConfig: T;
+  defaultConfig: T = {} as any;
+  localeLoaders: Record<string, () => Promise<any>> = {
+    "en-GB": () => import("../../../../locales/en-GB.json"),
+    "cy-GB": () => import("../../../../locales/cy-GB.json"),
+    "fr-FR": () => import("../../../../locales/fr-FR.json"),
+    "pl-PL": () => import("../../../../locales/pl-PL.json"),
+    "sv-SE": () => import("../../../../locales/sv-SE.json"),
+  };
+  
 
   public create(): void {
     const that = this;
@@ -469,33 +477,15 @@ export class BaseExtension<T extends BaseConfig> implements IExtension {
   }
 
   public async loadConfig(locale: string, extension: string): Promise<any> {
-    let uv_locale = locale;
-    if (extension) {
-      uv_locale = "_";
-      this.locales["_"] = () =>
-        import(`../../extensions/${extension}/config/config.json`);
-    }
-
-    let config = this.locales[uv_locale];
-
-    if (!config) {
-      throw new Error("Unable to load config");
-    }
-    if (typeof config === "object") {
-      config = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(config));
-    } else if (typeof config === "function") {
-      config = await config();
-      config = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(config));
-    }
-
-    return this.translateLocale(config, locale);
+    return this.translateLocale(this.defaultConfig, locale);
   }
 
   private async translateLocale(
     config: Object,
     locale: String
   ): Promise<Object> {
-    let localeStrings = await import(`../../../../locales/${locale}.json`);
+    let loader = this.localeLoaders[locale as any] || this.localeLoaders["en-GB"];
+    let localeStrings = (await loader()) || {};
     let conf = JSON.stringify(config);
 
     for (let str in localeStrings) {