diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtility.java b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtility.java
index a39a04f03c43..54ba421e1a8c 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtility.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtility.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import java.util.MissingResourceException;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang3.LocaleUtils;
 import org.openmrs.GlobalProperty;
 import org.openmrs.api.GlobalPropertyListener;
 import org.openmrs.api.context.Context;
@@ -127,18 +128,29 @@ public static boolean areCompatible(Locale lhs, Locale rhs) {
 	 * <strong>Should</strong> get locale from language code country code and variant
 	 */
 	public static Locale fromSpecification(String localeSpecification) {
-		Locale createdLocale = null;
+		Locale createdLocale;
 		
 		localeSpecification = localeSpecification.trim();
 		
+		try {
+			createdLocale = LocaleUtils.toLocale(localeSpecification);
+		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+			createdLocale = generateLocaleFromLegacyFormat(localeSpecification);
+		}
+		
+		return createdLocale;
+	}
+	
+	private static Locale generateLocaleFromLegacyFormat(String localeSpecification) {
+		Locale createdLocale = null;
+		
 		String[] localeComponents = localeSpecification.split("_");
 		if (localeComponents.length == 1) {
 			createdLocale = new Locale(localeComponents[0]);
 		} else if (localeComponents.length == 2) {
 			createdLocale = new Locale(localeComponents[0], localeComponents[1]);
 		} else if (localeComponents.length > 2) {
-			String variant = localeSpecification.substring(localeSpecification.indexOf(localeComponents[2])); // gets everything after the
-			// second underscore
+			String variant = localeSpecification.substring(localeSpecification.indexOf(localeComponents[2]));
 			createdLocale = new Locale(localeComponents[0], localeComponents[1], variant);
 		}
 		
diff --git a/api/src/test/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtilityTest.java b/api/src/test/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtilityTest.java
index ddde89ff7d94..a7a06cfae37d 100644
--- a/api/src/test/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtilityTest.java
+++ b/api/src/test/java/org/openmrs/util/LocaleUtilityTest.java
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file, You can
  * obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. OpenMRS is also distributed under
  * the terms of the Healthcare Disclaimer located at http://openmrs.org/license.
- *
+ * 
  * Copyright (C) OpenMRS Inc. OpenMRS is a registered trademark and the OpenMRS
  * graphic logo is a trademark of OpenMRS Inc.
  */
@@ -178,6 +178,14 @@ public void fromSpecification_shouldGetLocaleFromLanguageCodeAndCountryCode() {
 		assertEquals(Locale.UK, LocaleUtility.fromSpecification("en_GB"));
 	}
 	
+	/**
+	 * @see LocaleUtility#fromSpecification(String)
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void fromSpecification_shouldGetLocaleFromBCP47Format() {
+		assertEquals(Locale.UK, LocaleUtility.fromSpecification("en-GB"));
+	}
+	
 	/**
 	 * @see LocaleUtility#fromSpecification(String)
 	 */