diff --git a/docs/components/GlobalizeProvider.md b/docs/components/GlobalizeProvider.md
index e5054ca..dc44aa6 100644
--- a/docs/components/GlobalizeProvider.md
+++ b/docs/components/GlobalizeProvider.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export default Root;
 ## Props
 
 - [`currency`](#currency)
+- [`defaultLocale`](#defaultLocale)
 - [`locale`](#locale)
 - [`localeFallback`](#localeFallback)
 - [`onError`](#onerror)
@@ -37,6 +38,12 @@ export default Root;
 | :----: | :------: | :-----: | :---------: |
 | string |    No    |  `USD`  | Default currency to use when formatting. |
 
+### `defaultLocale`
+
+|  Type  | Required | Default | Description |
+| :----: | :------: | :-----: | :---------: |
+| string |    No    |  none   | Default locale to use when specified locale not available. |
+
 ### `locale`
 
 |  Type  | Required | Default | Description |
diff --git a/src/components/GlobalizeProvider.tsx b/src/components/GlobalizeProvider.tsx
index 644a8e8..7afe22e 100644
--- a/src/components/GlobalizeProvider.tsx
+++ b/src/components/GlobalizeProvider.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { GlobalizeContext } from '../context';
 export interface Props {
   children: React.ReactNode;
   currency?: string;
+  defaultLocale?: string;
   locale?: string;
   localeFallback?: boolean;
   onError?(message: string, exception?: Error): void;
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ export interface Props {
 export const GlobalizeProvider: React.FC<Props> = ({
   children,
   currency: currencyCode = 'USD',
+  defaultLocale,
   locale = 'en',
   localeFallback: fallback = false,
   ...options
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ export const GlobalizeProvider: React.FC<Props> = ({
     ...options,
     locale,
     currencyCode,
+    defaultLocale,
     fallback,
   }));
 
@@ -37,9 +40,10 @@ export const GlobalizeProvider: React.FC<Props> = ({
       ...options,
       locale,
       currencyCode,
+      defaultLocale,
       fallback,
     }));
-  }, [currencyCode, locale, fallback]);
+  }, [currencyCode, defaultLocale, locale, fallback]);
 
   return (
     <GlobalizeContext.Provider value={globalize}>
diff --git a/src/globalize/__tests__/index.test.ts b/src/globalize/__tests__/index.test.ts
index a5fd875..2b8500e 100644
--- a/src/globalize/__tests__/index.test.ts
+++ b/src/globalize/__tests__/index.test.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,16 @@ describe('core', () => {
       expect(globalize.locale).toBe('en');
     });
 
-    test('throws locale not found', () => {
+    test('uses defaultLocale if specified and locale not found', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        createGlobalize({ locale: 'ga', defaultLocale: 'en' });
+      }).not.toThrow();
+
+      const globalize = createGlobalize({ locale: 'ga', defaultLocale: 'en' });
+      expect(globalize.locale).toBe('en');
+    });
+
+    test('throws when locale not found and no defaultLocale specified', () => {
       const message = '[RNGlobalize] CLDR data for the selected language/locale has not been loaded!';
 
       expect(() => {
diff --git a/src/globalize/index.ts b/src/globalize/index.ts
index baf0092..1143869 100644
--- a/src/globalize/index.ts
+++ b/src/globalize/index.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export function createGlobalize(config: Config): Globalize {
   };
 
   if (!localeIsLoaded(cfg.locale)) {
-    cfg.locale = (cfg.fallback && findFallbackLocale(cfg.locale)) as string;
+    cfg.locale = (cfg.fallback && findFallbackLocale(cfg.locale)) || cfg.defaultLocale as string;
 
     if (!cfg.locale) {
       throw new Error('[RNGlobalize] CLDR data for the selected language/locale has not been loaded!');
diff --git a/src/globalize/types.ts b/src/globalize/types.ts
index 7203b19..48a1a99 100644
--- a/src/globalize/types.ts
+++ b/src/globalize/types.ts
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ export interface Formatters {
 export interface GlobalizeConfig {
   locale: string;
   currencyCode: string;
+  defaultLocale?: string;
   fallback: boolean;
   onError(message: string, exception?: Error): void;
 }