diff --git a/nbconvert/preprocessors/execute.py b/nbconvert/preprocessors/execute.py
index 2308ba664..fe80c5d66 100644
--- a/nbconvert/preprocessors/execute.py
+++ b/nbconvert/preprocessors/execute.py
@@ -359,6 +359,8 @@ def preprocess(self, nb, resources, km=None):
         with self.setup_preprocessor(nb, resources, km=km):
             self.log.info("Executing notebook with kernel: %s" % self.kernel_name)
             nb, resources = super(ExecutePreprocessor, self).preprocess(nb, resources)
+            info_msg = self._wait_for_reply(self.kc.kernel_info())
+            nb.metadata['language_info'] = info_msg['content']['language_info']
 
         return nb, resources
 
@@ -407,11 +409,11 @@ def _update_display_id(self, display_id, msg):
                 outputs[output_idx]['data'] = out['data']
                 outputs[output_idx]['metadata'] = out['metadata']
 
-    def _wait_for_reply(self, msg_id, cell):
+    def _wait_for_reply(self, msg_id, cell=None):
         # wait for finish, with timeout
         while True:
             try:
-                if self.timeout_func is not None:
+                if self.timeout_func is not None and cell is not None:
                     timeout = self.timeout_func(cell)
                 else:
                     timeout = self.timeout
diff --git a/nbconvert/preprocessors/tests/test_execute.py b/nbconvert/preprocessors/tests/test_execute.py
index f6657fff9..52af82508 100644
--- a/nbconvert/preprocessors/tests/test_execute.py
+++ b/nbconvert/preprocessors/tests/test_execute.py
@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ def test_run_notebooks(self):
             input_nb, output_nb = self.run_notebook(filename, opts, res)
             self.assert_notebooks_equal(input_nb, output_nb)
 
+    def test_populate_language_info(self):
+        preprocessor = self.build_preprocessor(opts=dict(kernel_name="python"))
+        nb = nbformat.v4.new_notebook()  # Certainly has no language_info.
+        nb, _ = preprocessor.preprocess(nb, resources={})
+        assert 'language_info' in nb.metadata
+
     def test_empty_path(self):
         """Can the kernel be started when the path is empty?"""
         filename = os.path.join(current_dir, 'files', 'HelloWorld.ipynb')