diff --git a/packages/playground/blueprints/src/lib/steps/set-site-language.ts b/packages/playground/blueprints/src/lib/steps/set-site-language.ts
index bbcb2247f2..3344f61782 100644
--- a/packages/playground/blueprints/src/lib/steps/set-site-language.ts
+++ b/packages/playground/blueprints/src/lib/steps/set-site-language.ts
@@ -59,10 +59,16 @@ export const setSiteLanguage: StepHandler<SetSiteLanguageStep> = async (
 ) => {
 	progress?.tracker.setCaption(progress?.initialCaption || 'Translating');
 
-	await playground.defineConstant('WPLANG', language);
-
 	const docroot = await playground.documentRoot;
 
+	// Set the site language as an option (not a constant) so it can be changed from the admin UI
+	await playground.run({
+		code: `<?php
+		require_once('${docroot}/wp-load.php');
+		update_option('WPLANG', ${JSON.stringify(language)});
+		`
+	});
+
 	const wpVersion = (
 		await playground.run({
 			code: `<?php