diff --git a/pyxform/survey.py b/pyxform/survey.py
index 6d44ecdbf..9c96ddc70 100644
--- a/pyxform/survey.py
+++ b/pyxform/survey.py
@@ -535,12 +535,6 @@ def _add_empty_translations(self, warnings=None):
         if warnings is None:
             warnings = []
 
-        default_language_warning = ('\tDefault language not set,' +
-                                    ' with missing default translations.'
-                                    ' Please consider setting a `default_language` in your' +
-                                    ' settings tab to insure questions and options appear' +
-                                    ' as expected.')
-
         paths = {}
         for lang, translation in self._translations.items():
             for path, content in translation.items():
@@ -552,10 +546,23 @@ def _add_empty_translations(self, warnings=None):
                     self._translations[lang][path] = {}
                 for content_type in content_types:
                     if content_type not in self._translations[lang][path]:
-                        if lang == 'default' and default_language_warning not in warnings:
-                            warnings.append(default_language_warning)
+                        missing_warning = self._generate_missing_translation_warning(
+                            lang)
+                        if missing_warning not in warnings:
+                            warnings.append(missing_warning)
                         self._translations[lang][path][content_type] = u"-"
 
+    def _generate_missing_translation_warning(self, lang):
+        if lang == 'default':
+            return ('\tDefault language not set,' +
+                    ' with missing default translations.'
+                    ' Please consider setting a `default_language` in your' +
+                    ' settings tab to insure questions and options appear' +
+                    ' as expected.')
+
+        return ('\tMissing field translations found for ' + lang +
+                'field may not appear as expected')
+
     def _setup_media(self):
         """
         Traverse the survey, find all the media, and put in into the \
diff --git a/pyxform/tests_v1/test_language_warnings.py b/pyxform/tests_v1/test_language_warnings.py
index 249c4b2bb..43687faa0 100644
--- a/pyxform/tests_v1/test_language_warnings.py
+++ b/pyxform/tests_v1/test_language_warnings.py
@@ -53,19 +53,25 @@ def test_label_with_unknown_subtag_should_warn(self):
             'do not contain valid machine-readable codes: English (schm). Learn more' in warnings[0])
         os.unlink(tmp.name)
 
-    def test_no_default_language_should_warn_with_unlabeled_media_tags(self):
-        # form should test media tag w NO default language set.
+    def test_no_default_language_should_warn_with_unlabeled_columns(self):
         survey = self.md_to_pyxform_survey("""
-            | survey  |                 |         |                     |                  |             |
-            |         | type            | name    | label::English (en) | choice_filter    | media::image|
-            |         | select_one opts | opt     | My opt              | fake = 1         | opt1.jpg    |
-            | choices |                 |         |                     |                  |             |
-            |         | list_name       | name    | label               | fake             |             |
-            |         | opts            | opt1    | Opt1                | 1                |             |
-            |         | opts            | opt2    | Opt2                | 1                |             |
-            | settings|                 |         |                     |                  |             |
-            |         | form_title      | form_id | public_key          |                  |             |
-            |         | opts_form       | abc1    |                     |                  |             |
+            | survey  |                 |         |                     |             |
+            |         | type            | name    | label::English (en) | media::image|
+            |         | integer         | nums    | How many nums?      | opt1.jpg    |
+        """)
+
+        warnings = []
+        tmp = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix='.xml', delete=False)
+        tmp.close()
+        survey.print_xform_to_file(tmp.name, warnings=warnings)
+        self.assertTrue(len(warnings) == 1)
+        os.unlink(tmp.name)
+
+    def test_language_lacking_translation_should_warn(self):
+        survey = self.md_to_pyxform_survey("""
+            | survey  |                 |         |                     |                          |
+            |         | type            | name    | label::English (en) | media::image::French (fr)|
+            |         | integer         | nums    | How many nums?      | opt1.jpg                 |
         """)
 
         warnings = []