diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index b7973408e58..49a888bea4e 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -3560,6 +3560,21 @@
     <!-- Warning message about required internet conectivity for TTS synthesis, displayed as a dialog
          message when the user selects to play an example for network only locale and there's no internet connectivity. -->
     <string name="tts_engine_network_required">This language requires a working network connection for text-to-speech output.</string>
+    <!-- Text spoken by the TTS engine as an example if the engine doesn't provide sample text [CHAR LIMIT=100] -->
+    <string name="tts_default_sample_string">This is an example of speech synthesis</string>
+    <!-- On main TTS Settings screen, title of a field explaining current TTS engine status for
+	 current default language [CHAR LIMIT=50] -->
+    <string name="tts_status_title">Default language status</string>
+    <!-- On main TTS Settings screen, current TTS engine status for the current default language,
+         selected language is fully supported by the engine [CHAR LIMIT=150]-->
+    <string name="tts_status_ok"><xliff:g id="locale" example="English (United States)">%1$s</xliff:g> is fully supported</string>
+    <!-- On main TTS Settings screen, current TTS engine status for the current default language,
+         selected language is supported by the engine only if there's a working network connection
+	 [CHAR LIMIT=150]-->
+    <string name="tts_status_requires_network"><xliff:g id="locale" example="English (United States)">%1$s</xliff:g> requires network connection</string>
+    <!-- On main TTS Settings screen, current TTS engine status for the current default language,
+         selected language is not supported by the engine [CHAR LIMIT=150]-->
+    <string name="tts_status_not_supported"><xliff:g id="locale" example="English (United States)">%1$s</xliff:g> is not supported</string>
     <!-- On main TTS Settings screen, text for divider under which all TTS engines are listed -->
     <string name="tts_engines_section">Engines</string>
     <!-- On main TTS Settings screen, text preceded by the TTS engine name, clicking this button will launch the engine settings -->
diff --git a/res/xml/tts_settings.xml b/res/xml/tts_settings.xml
index 2b145d18828..ab132df9e3d 100644
--- a/res/xml/tts_settings.xml
+++ b/res/xml/tts_settings.xml
@@ -37,4 +37,9 @@
          android:persistent="false"
          android:title="@string/tts_play_example_title"
          android:summary="@string/tts_play_example_summary" />
+
+    <Preference android:key="tts_status"
+         style="?android:attr/preferenceInformationStyle"
+         android:persistent="false"
+         android:title="@string/tts_status_title"/>
 </PreferenceScreen>
diff --git a/src/com/android/settings/tts/TextToSpeechSettings.java b/src/com/android/settings/tts/TextToSpeechSettings.java
index 8f83bbc77b6..10ac575971b 100644
--- a/src/com/android/settings/tts/TextToSpeechSettings.java
+++ b/src/com/android/settings/tts/TextToSpeechSettings.java
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
     /** Preference key for the TTS rate selection dialog. */
     private static final String KEY_DEFAULT_RATE = "tts_default_rate";
 
+    /** Preference key for the TTS status field. */
+    private static final String KEY_STATUS = "tts_status";
+
     /**
      * Preference key for the engine selection preference.
      */
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
     private PreferenceCategory mEnginePreferenceCategory;
     private ListPreference mDefaultRatePref;
     private Preference mPlayExample;
+    private Preference mEngineStatus;
 
     private int mDefaultRate = TextToSpeech.Engine.DEFAULT_RATE;
 
@@ -98,6 +102,9 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
     private TextToSpeech mTts = null;
     private TtsEngines mEnginesHelper = null;
 
+    private String mSampleText = "";
+    private Locale mCurrentDefaultLocale;
+
     /**
      * The initialization listener used when we are initalizing the settings
      * screen for the first time (as opposed to when a user changes his choice
@@ -136,6 +143,8 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
                 KEY_ENGINE_PREFERENCE_SECTION);
         mDefaultRatePref = (ListPreference) findPreference(KEY_DEFAULT_RATE);
 
+        mEngineStatus = findPreference(KEY_STATUS);
+
         mTts = new TextToSpeech(getActivity().getApplicationContext(), mInitListener);
         mEnginesHelper = new TtsEngines(getActivity().getApplicationContext());
 
@@ -143,6 +152,20 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
         initSettings();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void onResume() {
+        super.onResume();
+
+        if (mTts == null || mCurrentDefaultLocale == null) {
+            return;
+        }
+        Locale ttsDefaultLocale = mTts.getDefaultLanguage();
+        if (mCurrentDefaultLocale != null && !mCurrentDefaultLocale.equals(ttsDefaultLocale)) {
+            updateWidgetState(false);
+            checkDefaultLocale();
+        }
+    }
+
     private void setTtsUtteranceProgressListener() {
         if (mTts == null) {
             return;
@@ -205,6 +228,46 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
         checkVoiceData(mCurrentEngine);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Called when the TTS engine is initialized.
+     */
+    public void onInitEngine(int status) {
+        if (status == TextToSpeech.SUCCESS) {
+            if (DBG) Log.d(TAG, "TTS engine for settings screen initialized.");
+            checkDefaultLocale();
+        } else {
+            if (DBG) Log.d(TAG, "TTS engine for settings screen failed to initialize successfully.");
+            updateWidgetState(false);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void checkDefaultLocale() {
+        Locale defaultLocale = mTts.getDefaultLanguage();
+        if (defaultLocale == null) {
+            Log.e(TAG, "Failed to get default language from engine " + mCurrentEngine);
+            updateWidgetState(false);
+            updateEngineStatus(R.string.tts_status_not_supported);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        mCurrentDefaultLocale = defaultLocale;
+
+        int defaultAvailable = mTts.setLanguage(defaultLocale);
+        if (defaultAvailable == TextToSpeech.LANG_NOT_SUPPORTED) {
+            if (DBG) Log.d(TAG, "Default locale for this TTS engine is not supported.");
+            updateWidgetState(false);
+            updateEngineStatus(R.string.tts_status_not_supported);
+        } else {
+            if (isNetworkRequiredForSynthesis()) {
+                updateEngineStatus(R.string.tts_status_requires_network);
+            } else {
+                updateEngineStatus(R.string.tts_status_ok);
+            }
+            getSampleText();
+        }
+    }
+
+
     /**
      * Ask the current default engine to return a string of sample text to be
      * spoken to the user.
@@ -214,23 +277,15 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
 
         if (TextUtils.isEmpty(currentEngine)) currentEngine = mTts.getDefaultEngine();
 
-
-        Locale defaultLocale = mTts.getDefaultLanguage();
-        if (defaultLocale == null) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "Failed to get default language from engine " + currentEngine);
-            return;
-        }
-        mTts.setLanguage(defaultLocale);
-
         // TODO: This is currently a hidden private API. The intent extras
         // and the intent action should be made public if we intend to make this
         // a public API. We fall back to using a canned set of strings if this
         // doesn't work.
         Intent intent = new Intent(TextToSpeech.Engine.ACTION_GET_SAMPLE_TEXT);
 
-        intent.putExtra("language", defaultLocale.getLanguage());
-        intent.putExtra("country", defaultLocale.getCountry());
-        intent.putExtra("variant", defaultLocale.getVariant());
+        intent.putExtra("language", mCurrentDefaultLocale.getLanguage());
+        intent.putExtra("country", mCurrentDefaultLocale.getCountry());
+        intent.putExtra("variant", mCurrentDefaultLocale.getVariant());
         intent.setPackage(currentEngine);
 
         try {
@@ -241,19 +296,6 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Called when the TTS engine is initialized.
-     */
-    public void onInitEngine(int status) {
-        if (status == TextToSpeech.SUCCESS) {
-            updateWidgetState(true);
-            if (DBG) Log.d(TAG, "TTS engine for settings screen initialized.");
-        } else {
-            if (DBG) Log.d(TAG, "TTS engine for settings screen failed to initialize successfully.");
-            updateWidgetState(false);
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Called when voice data integrity check returns
      */
@@ -280,11 +322,11 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
                 }
             }
         }
-        return null;
+        return getString(R.string.tts_default_sample_string);
     }
 
     private boolean isNetworkRequiredForSynthesis() {
-        Set<String> features = mTts.getFeatures(mTts.getLanguage());
+        Set<String> features = mTts.getFeatures(mCurrentDefaultLocale);
         return features.contains(TextToSpeech.Engine.KEY_FEATURE_NETWORK_SYNTHESIS) &&
                 !features.contains(TextToSpeech.Engine.KEY_FEATURE_EMBEDDED_SYNTHESIS);
     }
@@ -301,24 +343,25 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
             if (DBG) Log.d(TAG, "Using default sample text :" + sample);
         }
 
-        if (sample != null && mTts != null) {
-            // The engine is guaranteed to have been initialized here
-            // because this preference is not enabled otherwise.
-
-            final boolean networkRequired = isNetworkRequiredForSynthesis();
-            if (!networkRequired || networkRequired &&
-                    (mTts.isLanguageAvailable(mTts.getLanguage()) >= TextToSpeech.LANG_AVAILABLE)) {
-                HashMap<String, String> params = new HashMap<String, String>();
-                params.put(TextToSpeech.Engine.KEY_PARAM_UTTERANCE_ID, "Sample");
-
-                mTts.speak(sample, TextToSpeech.QUEUE_FLUSH, params);
-            } else {
-                Log.w(TAG, "Network required for sample synthesis for requested language");
-                displayNetworkAlert();
-            }
+        mSampleText = sample;
+        if (mSampleText != null) {
+            updateWidgetState(true);
         } else {
-            // TODO: Display an error here to the user.
-            Log.e(TAG, "Did not have a sample string for the requested language");
+            Log.e(TAG, "Did not have a sample string for the requested language. Using default");
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void speakSampleText() {
+        final boolean networkRequired = isNetworkRequiredForSynthesis();
+        if (!networkRequired || networkRequired &&
+                (mTts.isLanguageAvailable(mCurrentDefaultLocale) >= TextToSpeech.LANG_AVAILABLE)) {
+            HashMap<String, String> params = new HashMap<String, String>();
+            params.put(TextToSpeech.Engine.KEY_PARAM_UTTERANCE_ID, "Sample");
+
+            mTts.speak(mSampleText, TextToSpeech.QUEUE_FLUSH, params);
+        } else {
+            Log.w(TAG, "Network required for sample synthesis for requested language");
+            displayNetworkAlert();
         }
     }
 
@@ -349,7 +392,7 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
         if (preference == mPlayExample) {
             // Get the sample text from the TTS engine; onActivityResult will do
             // the actual speaking
-            getSampleText();
+            speakSampleText();
             return true;
         }
 
@@ -359,6 +402,15 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
     private void updateWidgetState(boolean enable) {
         mPlayExample.setEnabled(enable);
         mDefaultRatePref.setEnabled(enable);
+        mEngineStatus.setEnabled(enable);
+    }
+
+    private void updateEngineStatus(int resourceId) {
+        Locale locale = mCurrentDefaultLocale;
+        if (locale == null) {
+            locale = Locale.getDefault();
+        }
+        mEngineStatus.setSummary(getString(resourceId, locale.getDisplayName()));
     }
 
     private void displayNetworkAlert() {
@@ -474,8 +526,6 @@ public class TextToSpeechSettings extends SettingsPreferenceFragment implements
                 }
             }
         }
-
-        updateWidgetState(true);
     }
 
     @Override