diff --git a/locale/string.ha b/locale/string.ha
index 073c736..261d749 100644
--- a/locale/string.ha
+++ b/locale/string.ha
@@ -18,10 +18,17 @@ export type string = [](locale, str);
 
 // Selects the most appropriate localized version of a [[string]] given a
 // [[locale]]. The matching algorithm used is the one specified by the
-// XDG Desktop Entry Specification, §5. If no suitable version is found, an
-// exact match with the C locale will be attempted. If there are none, void will
-// be returned. Memory is borrowed from the input.
-export fn string_resolve(strin: string, local: locale) (str | void) = {	
+// XDG Desktop Entry Specification, §5, with the addition of a preliminary step
+// where a match against the exact locale is attempted. If no suitable version
+// is found, an exact match with the C locale will be attempted. If there are
+// none, void will be returned. Memory is borrowed from the input.
+export fn string_resolve(strin: string, local: locale) (str | void) = {
+	// lang_COUNTRY@MODIFIER.ENCODING
+	match (string_resolve_exact(strin, local)) {
+	case let result: str => return result;
+	case                 => void;
+	};
+	
 	// lang_COUNTRY@MODIFIER
 	let lang_country_modifier = local;
 	lang_country_modifier.encoding = "";
@@ -74,6 +81,12 @@ export type strings = [](locale, []str);
 // [[locale]]. See the documentation for [[string_resolve]] for more
 // information.
 export fn strings_resolve(strins: strings, local: locale) ([]str | void) = {
+	// lang_COUNTRY@MODIFIER.ENCODING
+	match (strings_resolve_exact(strins, local)) {
+	case let result: []str => return result;
+	case                   => void;
+	};
+	
 	// lang_COUNTRY@MODIFIER
 	let lang_country_modifier = local;
 	lang_country_modifier.encoding = "";
diff --git a/locale/string_test.ha b/locale/string_test.ha
index 746aab3..1dd77e0 100644
--- a/locale/string_test.ha
+++ b/locale/string_test.ha
@@ -7,6 +7,16 @@
 		(c, "c"),
 		(parse("xx_XX")!, "xx_XX"),
 	], parse("xx_XX.UTF-8")!) as str == "xx_XX");
+	assert(string_resolve([
+		(c, "c"),
+		(parse("xx_XX")!, "xx_XX"),
+		(parse("xx_XX.UTF-8")!, "xx_XX2"),
+	], parse("xx_XX")!) as str == "xx_XX");
+	assert(string_resolve([
+		(c, "c"),
+		(parse("xx_XX")!, "xx_XX"),
+		(parse("xx_XX.UTF-8")!, "xx_XX2"),
+	], parse("xx_XX.UTF-8")!) as str == "xx_XX2");
 	assert(string_resolve([
 		(c, "c"),
 		(parse("xx_XX")!, "xx_XX"),