diff --git a/src/core.js b/src/core.js
index 8d828633cd9..cc9590adb4a 100644
--- a/src/core.js
+++ b/src/core.js
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ register([
     require('./locale-en-us')
 ]);
 
+// locales that are present in the window should be loaded
+if(window.PlotlyLocales && window.PlotlyLocales.length) {
+    register(window.PlotlyLocales);
+}
+
 // plot icons
 exports.Icons = require('./fonts/ploticon');
 
diff --git a/tasks/util/wrap_locale.js b/tasks/util/wrap_locale.js
index ddad20ba313..e2a106cb044 100644
--- a/tasks/util/wrap_locale.js
+++ b/tasks/util/wrap_locale.js
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ var intoStream = require('into-stream');
 
 var constants = require('./constants');
 
-var prefix = 'Plotly.register(';
-var suffix = ');';
+var prefix = 'var locale=';
+var suffix = ';if(typeof Plotly === \'undefined\') {window.PlotlyLocales = window.PlotlyLocales || []; window.PlotlyLocales.push(locale);} else {Plotly.register(locale);}';
 
 var moduleMarker = 'module.exports = ';