diff --git a/include/game/gamework_data.h b/include/game/gamework_data.h
index 2038a68b..52d2eb72 100644
--- a/include/game/gamework_data.h
+++ b/include/game/gamework_data.h
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ typedef struct player_state {
 
 typedef struct game_stat {
 /* 0x0 */ s16 unk_00;
-/* 0x2 */ s8 language;
+/* 0x2 */ u8 language;
 /* 0x3 */ u8 sound_mode;
 /* 0x4 */ s8 rumble;
 /* 0x6 */ u16 total_stars;
@@ -147,4 +147,9 @@ extern PlayerState GWPlayer[4];
 extern SystemState GWSystem;
 extern GameStat GWGameStat;
 
+static inline s32 GWLanguageGet(void)
+{
+	return GWGameStat.language;
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/game/board/main.c b/src/game/board/main.c
index 303ef88a..55c89fcd 100644
--- a/src/game/board/main.c
+++ b/src/game/board/main.c
@@ -2042,13 +2042,8 @@ void BoardLast5GfxInit(void)
 				prio = 1400;
 			}
 			spr_file = last5GfxSprTbl[i];
-			if(i == 2 && work->is_last) {
-				//FIXME: unnecessary extsb during comparison
-				s8 language = GWGameStat.language;
-				if(language != 0) {
-					spr_file = MAKE_DATA_NUM(DATADIR_BOARD, 98);
-				}
-				
+			if(i == 2 && work->is_last && GWLanguageGet() != 0) {
+				spr_file = MAKE_DATA_NUM(DATADIR_BOARD, 98);
 			}
 			BoardSpriteCreate(spr_file, prio, NULL, &work->sprites[i]);
 			HuSprGrpMemberSet(work->group, i, work->sprites[i]);
diff --git a/src/game/window.c b/src/game/window.c
index 92d30fa4..91e72636 100644
--- a/src/game/window.c
+++ b/src/game/window.c
@@ -201,14 +201,12 @@ void HuWindowInit(void) {
 void HuWinInit(s32 mess_data_no) {
     s16 i;
     void *anim_data;
-    s8 language;
 
     if (!winProc) {
         HuAR_ARAMtoMRAM(winAMemP);
         winProc = HuPrcCreate(HuWinProc, 0x64, 0x1000, 0);
         HuPrcSetStat(winProc, 0xC);
-        language = GWGameStat.language;
-        LanguageNo = language;
+        LanguageNo = GWLanguageGet();
         messDataNo = mess_data_no;
         fontWidthP = (LanguageNo == 0) ? charWJTbl : charWETbl;
         HuWinMesRead(mess_data_no);