diff --git a/modules/ve-mw/ui/dialogs/ve.ui.MWMetaDialog.js b/modules/ve-mw/ui/dialogs/ve.ui.MWMetaDialog.js
index 7a21e51f37..8fe9e03d87 100644
--- a/modules/ve-mw/ui/dialogs/ve.ui.MWMetaDialog.js
+++ b/modules/ve-mw/ui/dialogs/ve.ui.MWMetaDialog.js
@@ -142,10 +142,20 @@ ve.ui.MWMetaDialog.prototype.initialize = function () {
 			);
 
 		for ( i = 0; i < languageslength; i++ ) {
+			languages[i].safelang = languages[i].lang;
+			languages[i].dir = 'auto';
+			if ( $.uls ) {
+				// site codes don't always represent official language codes
+				// using real language code instead of a dummy ('redirect' in ULS' terminology)
+				languages[i].safelang = $.uls.data.isRedirect( languages[i].lang ) || languages[i].lang;
+				languages[i].dir = $.uls.data.getDir( languages[i].safelang );
+			}
 			$languagesTable
 				.append( this.frame.$$( '<tr>' )
 					.append( this.frame.$$( '<td>' ).append( languages[i].lang ) )
-					.append( this.frame.$$( '<td>' ).append( languages[i].title ) )
+					.append( this.frame.$$( '<td>' ).append( languages[i].title )
+						.attr( 'lang', languages[i].safelang )
+						.attr( 'dir', languages[i].dir ) )
 				);
 		}