diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows-build.yml b/.github/workflows/windows-build.yml
index 502937a..64ecdcf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows-build.yml
@@ -646,6 +646,11 @@ jobs:
           if ("$so" -notmatch 'MBCS->UTF-8 ok') {
             throw "selftest did not exercise the MBCS->UTF-8 conversion"
           }
+          # Guards the empty-name terminator (newlang.h); losing it hangs the first-run About
+          # box. [1-9] not \d: "after 0 entries" would pass while proving nothing.
+          if ("$so" -notmatch 'language list ends after [1-9]\d* entries') {
+            throw "selftest did not check that the language list terminates"
+          }
 
           # --selftest throws one exception on purpose. A crash report that resolves nothing
           # is indistinguishable from a working one until someone needs it, so assert the
diff --git a/WinHTTrack/WinHTTrack.cpp b/WinHTTrack/WinHTTrack.cpp
index be5fcfb..eb30cf2 100755
--- a/WinHTTrack/WinHTTrack.cpp
+++ b/WinHTTrack/WinHTTrack.cpp
@@ -332,6 +332,28 @@ BOOL CWinHTTrackApp::InitInstance()
         printf("MBCS->UTF-8 ok\n");
       }
     }
+    /* Walk the languages as the About box does: losing LANG_LOAD()'s empty-name
+       terminator hangs it on the first run, past where --selftest ever reaches. */
+    {
+      const int LANG_SANE_MAX = 512;   /* lang.def ships a few dozen */
+      const int saved = QLANG_T(-1);
+      int i;
+      for(i=0 ; i<LANG_SANE_MAX ; i++) {
+        char name[1024];
+        QLANG_T(i);
+        strcpybuff(name, "LANGUAGE_NAME");
+        LANG_LOAD(name);
+        if (name[0] == '\0')
+          break;
+      }
+      QLANG_T(saved);
+      if (i >= LANG_SANE_MAX) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "FATAL: the language list never ends: LANG_LOAD() lost its empty-name terminator\n");
+        fflush(stderr);
+        ExitProcess(4);
+      }
+      printf("language list ends after %d entries\n", i);
+    }
     /* Exercise the crash reporter for real: a Release PDB built without line info, or a
        first-chance hook that never registered, both still produce a plausible-looking
        report that names nothing. Only throwing proves the chain resolves. */
diff --git a/WinHTTrack/newlang.cpp b/WinHTTrack/newlang.cpp
index cacb850..2c34131 100755
--- a/WinHTTrack/newlang.cpp
+++ b/WinHTTrack/newlang.cpp
@@ -325,12 +325,9 @@ void LANG_LOAD(char* limit_to) {
     hashname=LANGINTKEY(name);
   }
 
-  /* Get only language name */
+  /* Empty name is the caller's enumeration terminator: never substitute a placeholder. */
   if (limit_to) {
-    if (strnotempty(hashname))
-      strcpybuff(limit_to,hashname);
-    else
-      strcpybuff(limit_to,"???");
+    strcpybuff(limit_to,hashname);
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/WinHTTrack/newlang.h b/WinHTTrack/newlang.h
index f73fe09..d6056bc 100755
--- a/WinHTTrack/newlang.h
+++ b/WinHTTrack/newlang.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ Please visit our Website: http://www.httrack.com
 #ifndef HTS_DEFNEWLANG
 #define HTS_DEFNEWLANG
 
+/* limit_to: set to the current language's name, or left EMPTY when the index names
+   none. Callers walk the index until that empty name, so never return a placeholder. */
 void LANG_LOAD(char* limit_to);
 void LANG_INIT();
 int LANG_T(int);