diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart
index 116a2f84..fb5b1caf 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class OwnUser extends User {
     Map<String, Object?> extraData = const {},
     bool banned = false,
     List<String> teams = const [],
-    String language = 'en',
+    String? language,
   }) : super(
           id: id,
           role: role,
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.g.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.g.dart
index 5d80cc1c..f5ad08a7 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.g.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.g.dart
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ OwnUser _$OwnUserFromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
     teams:
         (json['teams'] as List<dynamic>?)?.map((e) => e as String).toList() ??
             [],
-    language: json['language'] as String? ?? 'en',
+    language: json['language'] as String,
   );
 }
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart
index dd4abcc6..a7e7a51e 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class User extends Equatable {
     this.extraData = const {},
     this.banned = false,
     this.teams = const [],
-    this.language = 'en',
+    this.language,
   })  : createdAt = createdAt ?? DateTime.now(),
         updatedAt = updatedAt ?? DateTime.now();
 
@@ -87,12 +87,8 @@ class User extends Equatable {
   /// The language this user prefers.
   ///
   /// Defaults to 'en'.
-  @JsonKey(
-    includeIfNull: false,
-    toJson: Serializer.readOnly,
-    defaultValue: 'en',
-  )
-  final String language;
+  @JsonKey(includeIfNull: false)
+  final String? language;
 
   /// Shortcut for user name
   String get name {
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.g.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.g.dart
index 7b193f04..dd3183d5 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.g.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.g.dart
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ User _$UserFromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
     teams:
         (json['teams'] as List<dynamic>?)?.map((e) => e as String).toList() ??
             [],
-    language: json['language'] as String? ?? 'en',
+    language: json['language'] as String?,
   );
 }
 
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ Map<String, dynamic> _$UserToJson(User instance) {
   writeNotNull('online', readonly(instance.online));
   writeNotNull('banned', readonly(instance.banned));
   val['extra_data'] = instance.extraData;
-  writeNotNull('language', readonly(instance.language));
+  writeNotNull('language', instance.language);
   return val;
 }
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/utils/golden.dart b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/utils/golden.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4fc0aff3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_flutter/test/utils/golden.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import 'dart:async';
+import 'dart:typed_data';
+
+import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_test/flutter_test.dart';
+import 'package:golden_toolkit/golden_toolkit.dart';
+import 'package:golden_toolkit/src/testing_tools.dart';
+import 'package:path/path.dart' as path;
+
+const double _kGoldenDiffTolerance = 0.05;
+
+/// Wrapper function for golden tests.
+Future<void> customExpectGoldenMatches(
+  WidgetTester tester,
+  String name, {
+  bool? autoHeight,
+  Finder? finder,
+  CustomPump? customPump,
+  @Deprecated('''
+This method level parameter will be removed in an upcoming release. This can be configured globally. If you have concerns, please file an issue with your use case.''') bool? skip,
+}) {
+  final goldenPath = path.join('test/src/goldens');
+  print('goldenPath: $goldenPath');
+  goldenFileComparator = CustomGoldenFileComparator(Uri.parse(goldenPath));
+
+  return compareWithGolden(
+    tester,
+    name,
+    autoHeight: autoHeight,
+    finder: finder,
+    customPump: customPump,
+    skip: skip,
+    // This value is actually ignored. We are forced to pass it because the
+    // downstream API is structured poorly. This should be refactored.
+    device: Device.phone,
+    fileNameFactory: (String name, Device device) =>
+        GoldenToolkit.configuration.fileNameFactory(name),
+  );
+}
+
+class CustomGoldenFileComparator extends LocalFileComparator {
+  CustomGoldenFileComparator(Uri testFile) : super(testFile);
+
+  @override
+  Future<bool> compare(Uint8List imageBytes, Uri golden) async {
+    print('golden.toString(): ${golden.toString()}');
+    final result = await GoldenFileComparator.compareLists(
+      imageBytes,
+      await getGoldenBytes(golden),
+    );
+
+    if (!result.passed && result.diffPercent > _kGoldenDiffTolerance) {
+      final error = await generateFailureOutput(result, golden, basedir);
+      throw FlutterError(error);
+    }
+    return result.passed;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/db/moor_chat_database.g.dart b/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/db/moor_chat_database.g.dart
index 6274e932..a61d1e6e 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/db/moor_chat_database.g.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/db/moor_chat_database.g.dart
@@ -3105,7 +3105,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
   final String? role;
 
   /// The language this user prefers.
-  final String language;
+  final String? language;
 
   /// Date of user creation
   final DateTime createdAt;
@@ -3127,7 +3127,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
   UserEntity(
       {required this.id,
       this.role,
-      required this.language,
+      this.language,
       required this.createdAt,
       required this.updatedAt,
       this.lastActive,
@@ -3143,7 +3143,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
       role: const StringType()
           .mapFromDatabaseResponse(data['${effectivePrefix}role']),
       language: const StringType()
-          .mapFromDatabaseResponse(data['${effectivePrefix}language'])!,
+          .mapFromDatabaseResponse(data['${effectivePrefix}language']),
       createdAt: const DateTimeType()
           .mapFromDatabaseResponse(data['${effectivePrefix}created_at'])!,
       updatedAt: const DateTimeType()
@@ -3165,7 +3165,9 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
     if (!nullToAbsent || role != null) {
       map['role'] = Variable<String?>(role);
     }
-    map['language'] = Variable<String>(language);
+    if (!nullToAbsent || language != null) {
+      map['language'] = Variable<String?>(language);
+    }
     map['created_at'] = Variable<DateTime>(createdAt);
     map['updated_at'] = Variable<DateTime>(updatedAt);
     if (!nullToAbsent || lastActive != null) {
@@ -3186,7 +3188,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
     return UserEntity(
       id: serializer.fromJson<String>(json['id']),
       role: serializer.fromJson<String?>(json['role']),
-      language: serializer.fromJson<String>(json['language']),
+      language: serializer.fromJson<String?>(json['language']),
       createdAt: serializer.fromJson<DateTime>(json['createdAt']),
       updatedAt: serializer.fromJson<DateTime>(json['updatedAt']),
       lastActive: serializer.fromJson<DateTime?>(json['lastActive']),
@@ -3201,7 +3203,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
     return <String, dynamic>{
       'id': serializer.toJson<String>(id),
       'role': serializer.toJson<String?>(role),
-      'language': serializer.toJson<String>(language),
+      'language': serializer.toJson<String?>(language),
       'createdAt': serializer.toJson<DateTime>(createdAt),
       'updatedAt': serializer.toJson<DateTime>(updatedAt),
       'lastActive': serializer.toJson<DateTime?>(lastActive),
@@ -3214,7 +3216,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
   UserEntity copyWith(
           {String? id,
           Value<String?> role = const Value.absent(),
-          String? language,
+          Value<String?> language = const Value.absent(),
           DateTime? createdAt,
           DateTime? updatedAt,
           Value<DateTime?> lastActive = const Value.absent(),
@@ -3224,7 +3226,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
       UserEntity(
         id: id ?? this.id,
         role: role.present ? role.value : this.role,
-        language: language ?? this.language,
+        language: language.present ? language.value : this.language,
         createdAt: createdAt ?? this.createdAt,
         updatedAt: updatedAt ?? this.updatedAt,
         lastActive: lastActive.present ? lastActive.value : this.lastActive,
@@ -3283,7 +3285,7 @@ class UserEntity extends DataClass implements Insertable<UserEntity> {
 class UsersCompanion extends UpdateCompanion<UserEntity> {
   final Value<String> id;
   final Value<String?> role;
-  final Value<String> language;
+  final Value<String?> language;
   final Value<DateTime> createdAt;
   final Value<DateTime> updatedAt;
   final Value<DateTime?> lastActive;
@@ -3316,7 +3318,7 @@ class UsersCompanion extends UpdateCompanion<UserEntity> {
   static Insertable<UserEntity> custom({
     Expression<String>? id,
     Expression<String?>? role,
-    Expression<String>? language,
+    Expression<String?>? language,
     Expression<DateTime>? createdAt,
     Expression<DateTime>? updatedAt,
     Expression<DateTime?>? lastActive,
@@ -3340,7 +3342,7 @@ class UsersCompanion extends UpdateCompanion<UserEntity> {
   UsersCompanion copyWith(
       {Value<String>? id,
       Value<String?>? role,
-      Value<String>? language,
+      Value<String?>? language,
       Value<DateTime>? createdAt,
       Value<DateTime>? updatedAt,
       Value<DateTime?>? lastActive,
@@ -3370,7 +3372,7 @@ class UsersCompanion extends UpdateCompanion<UserEntity> {
       map['role'] = Variable<String?>(role.value);
     }
     if (language.present) {
-      map['language'] = Variable<String>(language.value);
+      map['language'] = Variable<String?>(language.value);
     }
     if (createdAt.present) {
       map['created_at'] = Variable<DateTime>(createdAt.value);
@@ -3426,10 +3428,8 @@ class $UsersTable extends Users with TableInfo<$UsersTable, UserEntity> {
       typeName: 'TEXT', requiredDuringInsert: false);
   final VerificationMeta _languageMeta = const VerificationMeta('language');
   late final GeneratedColumn<String?> language = GeneratedColumn<String?>(
-      'language', aliasedName, false,
-      typeName: 'TEXT',
-      requiredDuringInsert: false,
-      defaultValue: const Constant('en'));
+      'language', aliasedName, true,
+      typeName: 'TEXT', requiredDuringInsert: false);
   final VerificationMeta _createdAtMeta = const VerificationMeta('createdAt');
   late final GeneratedColumn<DateTime?> createdAt = GeneratedColumn<DateTime?>(
       'created_at', aliasedName, false,
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/entity/users.dart b/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/entity/users.dart
index 49aae500..286bfb40 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/entity/users.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_persistence/lib/src/entity/users.dart
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class Users extends Table {
   TextColumn get role => text().nullable()();
 
   /// The language this user prefers.
-  TextColumn get language => text().withDefault(const Constant('en'))();
+  TextColumn get language => text().nullable()();
 
   /// Date of user creation
   DateTimeColumn get createdAt => dateTime().withDefault(currentDateAndTime)();