diff --git a/phpBB/includes/template/twig/extension.php b/phpBB/includes/template/twig/extension.php
index d7400fde4b..a3da61fcdb 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/template/twig/extension.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/template/twig/extension.php
@@ -17,11 +17,24 @@ if (!defined('IN_PHPBB'))
 
 class phpbb_template_twig_extension extends Twig_Extension
 {
+	/** @var phpbb_user */
+	protected $user;
+
+	public function __construct($user)
+	{
+		$this->user = $user;
+	}
+
 	public function getName()
 	{
 		return 'phpbb';
 	}
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the token parser instance to add to the existing list.
+     *
+     * @return array An array of Twig_TokenParser instances
+     */
 	public function getTokenParsers()
 	{
 		return array(
@@ -35,6 +48,11 @@ class phpbb_template_twig_extension extends Twig_Extension
 		);
 	}
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a list of filters to add to the existing list.
+     *
+     * @return array An array of filters
+     */
     public function getFilters()
     {
         return array(
@@ -42,6 +60,23 @@ class phpbb_template_twig_extension extends Twig_Extension
 		);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a list of global functions to add to the existing list.
+     *
+     * @return array An array of global functions
+     */
+    public function getFunctions()
+    {
+        return array(
+            new Twig_SimpleFunction('lang', array($this->user, 'lang')),
+		);
+	}
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a list of operators to add to the existing list.
+     *
+     * @return array An array of operators
+     */
 	public function getOperators()
 	{
 		return array(
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/template/twig/lexer.php b/phpBB/includes/template/twig/lexer.php
index a2afcf18be..1daa6c30c9 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/template/twig/lexer.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/template/twig/lexer.php
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ class phpbb_template_twig_lexer extends Twig_Lexer
 		// This also strips outer parenthesis, <!-- IF (blah) --> becomes <!-- IF blah -->
 		$code = preg_replace('#<!-- (' . implode('|', $valid_starting_tokens) . ')(?: (.*?) ?)?-->#', '{% $1 $2 %}', $code);
 
+		// Replace all of our language variables, {L_VARNAME}, with Twig style, {{ lang('NAME') }}
+		$code = preg_replace('#{L_([a-zA-Z0-9_\.]+)}#', '{{ lang(\'$1\') }}', $code);
+
+		// Replace all of our JS escaped language variables, {LA_VARNAME}, with Twig style, {{ lang('NAME')|escape('js') }}
+		$code = preg_replace('#{LA_([a-zA-Z0-9_\.]+)}#', '{{ lang(\'$1\')|escape(\'js\') }}', $code);
+
 		// Replace all of our variables, {VARNAME}, with Twig style, {{ VARNAME }}
 		$code = preg_replace('#{([a-zA-Z0-9_\.]+)}#', '{{ $1 }}', $code);
 
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/template/twig/twig.php b/phpBB/includes/template/twig/twig.php
index 65776b7b6e..f5879c6027 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/template/twig/twig.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/template/twig/twig.php
@@ -131,7 +131,11 @@ class phpbb_template_twig implements phpbb_template
 		// @todo remove
 		$this->clear_cache();
 
-		$this->twig->addExtension(new phpbb_template_twig_extension);
+		$this->twig->addExtension(
+			new phpbb_template_twig_extension(
+				$this->user
+			)
+		);
 
 		$lexer = new phpbb_template_twig_lexer($this->twig);
 
@@ -430,27 +434,13 @@ class phpbb_template_twig implements phpbb_template
 	{
 		$vars = array();
 
-		// Work-around for now
-		if (!empty($this->user->lang))
-		{
-			foreach ($this->user->lang as $key => $value)
-			{
-				if (!is_string($value))
-				{
-					continue;
-				}
-
-				$vars['L_' . strtoupper($key)] = $value;
-				$vars['LA_' . strtoupper($key)] = addslashes($value);
-			}
-		}
-
 		$vars = array_merge(
 			$vars,
 			$this->context->get_rootref(),
 			$this->context->get_tpldata(),
 			array(
 				'definition'	=> new phpbb_template_twig_definition(),
+				'user'			=> $this->user,
 			)
 		);