diff --git a/app/javascript/widget/helpers/specs/urlParamsHelper.spec.js b/app/javascript/widget/helpers/specs/urlParamsHelper.spec.js
index 826c35e99..87588616b 100644
--- a/app/javascript/widget/helpers/specs/urlParamsHelper.spec.js
+++ b/app/javascript/widget/helpers/specs/urlParamsHelper.spec.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ describe('#getLocale', () => {
     expect(getLocale('?test=1&cw_conv=2&website_token=3&locale=fr')).toEqual(
       'fr'
     );
-    expect(getLocale('')).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(getLocale('')).toEqual(null);
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/app/javascript/widget/helpers/urlParamsHelper.js b/app/javascript/widget/helpers/urlParamsHelper.js
index ad7f896d1..1736c092e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/widget/helpers/urlParamsHelper.js
+++ b/app/javascript/widget/helpers/urlParamsHelper.js
@@ -1,22 +1,13 @@
 export const buildSearchParamsWithLocale = search => {
   const locale = window.WOOT_WIDGET.$root.$i18n.locale;
-  if (search) {
-    search = `${search}&locale=${locale}`;
-  } else {
-    search = `?locale=${locale}`;
-  }
-  return search;
+  const params = new URLSearchParams(search);
+  params.append('locale', locale);
+
+  return `?${params}`;
 };
 
 export const getLocale = (search = '') => {
-  const searchParamKeyValuePairs = search.split('&');
-  return searchParamKeyValuePairs.reduce((acc, keyValuePair) => {
-    const [key, value] = keyValuePair.split('=');
-    if (key === 'locale') {
-      return value;
-    }
-    return acc;
-  }, undefined);
+  return new URLSearchParams(search).get('locale');
 };
 
 export const buildPopoutURL = ({
@@ -25,5 +16,10 @@ export const buildPopoutURL = ({
   websiteToken,
   locale,
 }) => {
-  return `${origin}/widget?cw_conversation=${conversationCookie}&website_token=${websiteToken}&locale=${locale}`;
+  const popoutUrl = new URL('/widget', origin);
+  popoutUrl.searchParams.append('cw_conversation', conversationCookie);
+  popoutUrl.searchParams.append('website_token', websiteToken);
+  popoutUrl.searchParams.append('locale', locale);
+
+  return popoutUrl.toString();
 };