diff --git a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/config/functions/bootstrap.js b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/config/functions/bootstrap.js
index e5e4595a50..cb99c990c2 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/config/functions/bootstrap.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/config/functions/bootstrap.js
@@ -12,18 +12,11 @@ const actions = ['create', 'read', 'update', 'delete'].map(uid => ({
   uid: `locale.${uid}`,
 }));
 
-const DEFAULT_LOCALE = {
-  code: 'en-US',
-};
-
 module.exports = async () => {
   const { actionProvider } = strapi.admin.services.permission;
   actionProvider.register(actions);
 
-  const defaultLocale = await getService('locales').getDefaultLocale();
-  if (!defaultLocale) {
-    await getService('locales').setDefaultLocale(DEFAULT_LOCALE);
-  }
+  await getService('locales').initDefaultLocale();
 
   Object.values(strapi.models)
     .filter(model => getService('content-types').isLocalized(model))
diff --git a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/constants/index.js b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/constants/index.js
index e9d281f53a..e8b2428a53 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/constants/index.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/constants/index.js
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 const isoLocales = require('./iso-locales');
 
+const DEFAULT_LOCALE = {
+  name: 'English',
+  code: 'en',
+};
+
 module.exports = {
   isoLocales,
+  DEFAULT_LOCALE,
 };
diff --git a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/oas.yml b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/oas.yml
index 59e53eb997..3404bc05e8 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/oas.yml
+++ b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/oas.yml
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ components:
     localeInputCreate:
       type: object
       required:
-        - name
         - code
         - isDefault
       properties:
diff --git a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/__tests__/locales.test.js b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/__tests__/locales.test.js
index 702d6075d0..6d1c9bdc4a 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/__tests__/locales.test.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/__tests__/locales.test.js
@@ -131,4 +131,51 @@ describe('Locales', () => {
       expect(deletedLocale).toMatchObject(locale);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('initDefaultLocale', () => {
+    test('create default local if none exists', async () => {
+      const count = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve(0));
+      const create = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+      const set = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+
+      global.strapi = {
+        query: () => ({
+          count,
+          create,
+        }),
+        store: () => ({
+          set,
+        }),
+      };
+
+      await localesService.initDefaultLocale();
+      expect(count).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
+      expect(create).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        name: 'English',
+        code: 'en',
+      });
+      expect(set).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ key: 'default_locale', value: 'en' });
+    });
+
+    test('does not create default local if one already exists', async () => {
+      const count = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve(1));
+      const create = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+      const set = jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve());
+
+      global.strapi = {
+        query: () => ({
+          count,
+          create,
+        }),
+        store: () => ({
+          set,
+        }),
+      };
+
+      await localesService.initDefaultLocale();
+      expect(count).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
+      expect(create).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(set).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/locales.js b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/locales.js
index a0e2b7c9cb..a778b3063f 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/locales.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/services/locales.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const { isNil } = require('lodash/fp');
+const { DEFAULT_LOCALE } = require('../constants');
 
 const { getCoreStore } = require('../utils');
 
@@ -35,6 +36,14 @@ const setIsDefault = async locales => {
   }
 };
 
+const initDefaultLocale = async () => {
+  const existingLocalesNb = await strapi.query('locale', 'i18n').count();
+  if (existingLocalesNb === 0) {
+    await create(DEFAULT_LOCALE);
+    await setDefaultLocale({ code: DEFAULT_LOCALE.code });
+  }
+};
+
 module.exports = {
   find,
   findById,
@@ -45,4 +54,5 @@ module.exports = {
   getDefaultLocale,
   setIsDefault,
   delete: deleteFn,
+  initDefaultLocale,
 };
diff --git a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/tests/locales.test.e2e.js b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/tests/locales.test.e2e.js
index 89dc22bff2..8eccb85e7f 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/tests/locales.test.e2e.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/tests/locales.test.e2e.js
@@ -26,6 +26,20 @@ describe('CRUD locales', () => {
     await strapi.destroy();
   });
 
+  describe('Default locale', () => {
+    test('Default locale is already created', async () => {
+      let res = await rq({
+        url: '/i18n/locales',
+        method: 'GET',
+      });
+
+      expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200);
+      expect(res.body).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(res.body[0].isDefault).toBe(true);
+      data.locales.push(res.body[0]);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('Creation', () => {
     test('Can create a locale', async () => {
       const locale = {
@@ -113,11 +127,12 @@ describe('CRUD locales', () => {
       let res = await rq({
         url: '/i18n/locales',
         method: 'POST',
-        body: { code: 'en', name: 'random', isDefault: true },
+        body: { code: 'bas', name: 'random', isDefault: true },
       });
 
       expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200);
       expect(res.body.isDefault).toBe(true);
+      data.locales[0].isDefault = false;
 
       res = await rq({
         url: '/i18n/locales',
@@ -133,7 +148,7 @@ describe('CRUD locales', () => {
       });
 
       expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200);
-      const enLocale = res.body.find(locale => locale.code === 'en');
+      const enLocale = res.body.find(locale => locale.code === 'bas');
       const enUsLocale = res.body.find(locale => locale.code === 'en-US');
       expect(enLocale.isDefault).toBe(false);
       expect(enUsLocale.isDefault).toBe(true);
diff --git a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/validation/locales.js b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/validation/locales.js
index eb2fb26b23..f070447d7c 100644
--- a/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/validation/locales.js
+++ b/packages/strapi-plugin-i18n/validation/locales.js
@@ -13,10 +13,8 @@ const createLocaleSchema = yup
   .shape({
     name: yup
       .string()
-      .min(1)
       .max(50)
-      .nullable()
-      .required(),
+      .nullable(),
     code: yup
       .string()
       .oneOf(allowedLocaleCodes)