diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptor.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptor.java
index 502c21bd0..682bbe6d7 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptor.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptor.java
@@ -281,15 +281,17 @@ public class I18nInterceptor extends AbstractInterceptor {
 
         @Override
         public Locale store(ActionInvocation invocation, Locale locale) {
-            //save it in session
-            Map<String, Object> session = invocation.getInvocationContext().getSession();
+            HttpSession session = ServletActionContext.getRequest().getSession(false);
 
             if (session != null) {
-                String sessionId = ServletActionContext.getRequest().getSession().getId();
+                String sessionId = session.getId();
                 synchronized (sessionId.intern()) {
-                    session.put(attributeName, locale);
+                    invocation.getInvocationContext().getSession().put(attributeName, locale);
                 }
+            } else {
+                LOG.debug("session creation avoided as it doesn't exist already");
             }
+
             return locale;
         }
 
@@ -298,19 +300,15 @@ public class I18nInterceptor extends AbstractInterceptor {
             Locale locale = null;
 
             LOG.debug("Checks session for saved locale");
-            Map<String, Object> session = invocation.getInvocationContext().getSession();
+            HttpSession session = ServletActionContext.getRequest().getSession(false);
 
             if (session != null) {
-                //[WW-4741] Do not force session creation while this is a read operation
-                HttpSession httpSession = ServletActionContext.getRequest().getSession(false);
-                if(null != httpSession) {
-                    String sessionId = httpSession.getId();
-                    synchronized (sessionId.intern()) {
-                        Object sessionLocale = session.get(attributeName);
-                        if (sessionLocale != null && sessionLocale instanceof Locale) {
-                            locale = (Locale) sessionLocale;
-                            LOG.debug("Applied session locale: {}", locale);
-                        }
+                String sessionId = session.getId();
+                synchronized (sessionId.intern()) {
+                    Object sessionLocale = invocation.getInvocationContext().getSession().get(attributeName);
+                    if (sessionLocale != null && sessionLocale instanceof Locale) {
+                        locale = (Locale) sessionLocale;
+                        LOG.debug("Applied session locale: {}", locale);
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptorTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptorTest.java
index 0a1942fb7..fcc0dd11b 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptorTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/struts2/interceptor/I18nInterceptorTest.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.HttpParameters;
 import org.easymock.EasyMock;
 import org.easymock.IArgumentMatcher;
 import org.springframework.mock.web.MockHttpServletRequest;
+import org.springframework.mock.web.MockHttpSession;
 
 import javax.servlet.http.Cookie;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
@@ -45,14 +46,41 @@ public class I18nInterceptorTest extends TestCase {
     private ActionInvocation mai;
     private ActionContext ac;
     private Map session;
+    private MockHttpServletRequest request;
 
     public void testEmptyParamAndSession() throws Exception {
         interceptor.intercept(mai);
     }
 
-    public void testNoSession() throws Exception {
-        ac.setSession(null);
-        interceptor.intercept(mai);
+    public void testNoSessionNoLocale() throws Exception {
+        request.setSession(null);
+        try {
+            interceptor.intercept(mai);
+            assertTrue(true);
+        } catch (Exception ignore) {
+            fail("Shouldn't throw any exception!");
+        }
+
+        assertFalse("should have been removed",
+                mai.getInvocationContext().getParameters().get(I18nInterceptor.DEFAULT_PARAMETER).isDefined());
+        assertNull("should not be created", request.getSession(false));
+        assertNull("should not be stored here", session.get(I18nInterceptor.DEFAULT_SESSION_ATTRIBUTE));
+    }
+
+    public void testNoSessionButLocale() throws Exception {
+        prepare(I18nInterceptor.DEFAULT_PARAMETER, "da_DK"); //prevents shouldStore to being false
+        request.setSession(null);
+        try {
+            interceptor.intercept(mai);
+            assertTrue(true);
+        } catch (Exception ignore) {
+            fail("Shouldn't throw any exception!");
+        }
+
+        assertFalse("should have been removed",
+                mai.getInvocationContext().getParameters().get(I18nInterceptor.DEFAULT_PARAMETER).isDefined());
+        assertNull("should not be created", request.getSession(false));
+        assertNull("should not be stored here", session.get(I18nInterceptor.DEFAULT_SESSION_ATTRIBUTE));
     }
 
     public void testDefaultLocale() throws Exception {
@@ -235,7 +263,9 @@ public class I18nInterceptorTest extends TestCase {
         ac = new ActionContext(ctx);
 
         ServletActionContext.setContext(ac);
-        ServletActionContext.setRequest(new MockHttpServletRequest());
+        request = new MockHttpServletRequest();
+        request.setSession(new MockHttpSession());
+        ServletActionContext.setRequest(request);
 
         Action action = new Action() {
             public String execute() throws Exception {