diff --git a/service.go b/service.go
index 6f21ecd..c4fd078 100644
--- a/service.go
+++ b/service.go
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ func (s *Service) getEffectiveContextGenderLocationAndFormality(data any) (strin
 	if m, ok := data.(map[string]any); ok {
 		var context string
 		var gender string
-		var location string
+		location := s.location
 		formality := s.formality
 		if v, ok := m["Context"].(string); ok {
 			context = core.Trim(v)
diff --git a/service_test.go b/service_test.go
index e32cce9..47df379 100644
--- a/service_test.go
+++ b/service_test.go
@@ -349,6 +349,22 @@ func TestServiceTranslationContextExtrasInLookup(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestServiceDefaultLocationAppliesToMapData(t *testing.T) {
+	svc, err := New()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("New() failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	svc.AddMessages("en", map[string]string{
+		"welcome._workspace": "welcome aboard",
+	})
+	svc.SetLocation("workspace")
+
+	if got := svc.T("welcome", map[string]any{}); got != "welcome aboard" {
+		t.Errorf("T(welcome, map[]) with default location = %q, want %q", got, "welcome aboard")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestServiceSubjectCountPlurals(t *testing.T) {
 	svc, err := New()
 	if err != nil {