diff --git a/panels/common/cc-language-chooser.c b/panels/common/cc-language-chooser.c
index f095602a4..38933d408 100644
--- a/panels/common/cc-language-chooser.c
+++ b/panels/common/cc-language-chooser.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ set_locale_id (GtkDialog *chooser,
                 if (g_strcmp0 (locale_id, language) == 0) {
                         gboolean is_extra;
 
-                        gtk_widget_show (check);
+                        gtk_widget_set_opacity (check, 1.0);
 
                         /* make sure the selected language is shown */
                         is_extra = GPOINTER_TO_UINT (g_object_get_data (G_OBJECT (row), "is-extra"));
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ set_locale_id (GtkDialog *chooser,
                                 egg_list_box_refilter (EGG_LIST_BOX (priv->language_list));
                         }
                 } else {
-                        gtk_widget_hide (check);
+                        gtk_widget_set_opacity (check, 0.0);
                 }
         }
         g_list_free (children);
@@ -140,13 +140,21 @@ language_widget_new (const gchar *locale_id,
 
         widget = padded_label_new (locale_name, is_extra);
 
+        /* We add a check on each side of the label to keep it centered. */
         check = gtk_image_new ();
         gtk_image_set_from_icon_name (GTK_IMAGE (check), "object-select-symbolic", GTK_ICON_SIZE_MENU);
-        gtk_widget_set_no_show_all (check, TRUE);
+        gtk_widget_set_opacity (check, 0.0);
+        g_object_set (check, "icon-size", GTK_ICON_SIZE_MENU, NULL);
+        gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (widget), check, FALSE, FALSE, 0);
+        gtk_box_reorder_child (GTK_BOX (widget), check, 0);
+
+        check = gtk_image_new ();
+        gtk_image_set_from_icon_name (GTK_IMAGE (check), "object-select-symbolic", GTK_ICON_SIZE_MENU);
+        gtk_widget_set_opacity (check, 0.0);
         g_object_set (check, "icon-size", GTK_ICON_SIZE_MENU, NULL);
         gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (widget), check, FALSE, FALSE, 0);
         if (g_strcmp0 (locale_id, current_locale_id) == 0)
-                gtk_widget_show (check);
+                gtk_widget_set_opacity (check, 1.0);
 
         g_object_set_data (G_OBJECT (widget), "check", check);
         g_object_set_data_full (G_OBJECT (widget), "locale-id", g_strdup (locale_id), g_free);