diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 5e8292c..6f16408 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -1983,3 +1983,59 @@ func TestConfig_ToTranscriberConfig_Threads(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Threads = %d, want 4", transcriberConfig.Threads)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestConfig_EffectiveLanguage(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("only general.language set", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config := &Config{
+			General: GeneralConfig{
+				Language: "es",
+			},
+			Transcription: TranscriptionConfig{
+				Provider: "openai",
+				Model:    "whisper-1",
+				Language: "", // not set
+			},
+		}
+
+		transcriberConfig := config.ToTranscriberConfig()
+		if transcriberConfig.Language != "es" {
+			t.Errorf("Language = %q, want %q", transcriberConfig.Language, "es")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("transcription.language overrides general.language", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config := &Config{
+			General: GeneralConfig{
+				Language: "es",
+			},
+			Transcription: TranscriptionConfig{
+				Provider: "openai",
+				Model:    "whisper-1",
+				Language: "en", // overrides general
+			},
+		}
+
+		transcriberConfig := config.ToTranscriberConfig()
+		if transcriberConfig.Language != "en" {
+			t.Errorf("Language = %q, want %q", transcriberConfig.Language, "en")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("neither set results in auto", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config := &Config{
+			General: GeneralConfig{
+				Language: "",
+			},
+			Transcription: TranscriptionConfig{
+				Provider: "openai",
+				Model:    "whisper-1",
+				Language: "",
+			},
+		}
+
+		transcriberConfig := config.ToTranscriberConfig()
+		if transcriberConfig.Language != "" {
+			t.Errorf("Language = %q, want empty (auto)", transcriberConfig.Language)
+		}
+	})
+}
diff --git a/internal/config/convert.go b/internal/config/convert.go
index 1923325..5aee3f4 100644
--- a/internal/config/convert.go
+++ b/internal/config/convert.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func (c *Config) ToRecordingConfig() recording.Config {
 func (c *Config) ToTranscriberConfig() transcriber.Config {
 	config := transcriber.Config{
 		Provider: c.Transcription.Provider,
-		Language: c.Transcription.Language,
+		Language: c.resolveEffectiveLanguage(),
 		Model:    c.Transcription.Model,
 		Keywords: c.Keywords,
 		Threads:  c.Transcription.Threads,
@@ -34,6 +34,15 @@ func (c *Config) ToTranscriberConfig() transcriber.Config {
 	return config
 }
 
+// resolveEffectiveLanguage returns the effective language for transcription.
+// transcription.language overrides general.language if set.
+func (c *Config) resolveEffectiveLanguage() string {
+	if c.Transcription.Language != "" {
+		return c.Transcription.Language
+	}
+	return c.General.Language
+}
+
 // resolveAPIKeyForProvider returns the API key for a provider from multiple sources
 func (c *Config) resolveAPIKeyForProvider(provider string) string {
 	providerName := provider
diff --git a/progress.txt b/progress.txt
index 9d9d25c..8ec945d 100644
--- a/progress.txt
+++ b/progress.txt
@@ -512,4 +512,12 @@ Started: Sun Feb  1 12:22:47 AM CET 2026
 - Added `General GeneralConfig` field to Config struct with toml tag 'general'
 - Language field has ISO 639-1 code comment, empty for auto-detect
 - TranscriptionConfig.Language kept for backwards compat (will be used as override)
+- All tests passing, typecheck passes
+
+### Task 48: Update config loading to handle general language
+- Added `resolveEffectiveLanguage()` method to Config in convert.go
+- Logic: transcription.language overrides general.language if set
+- Updated `ToTranscriberConfig()` to use `resolveEffectiveLanguage()`
+- Note: TOML loading already works automatically via struct tags (no load.go changes needed)
+- Added 3 tests in config_test.go: only general set, transcription overrides general, neither set (auto)
 - All tests passing, typecheck passes
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tasks/prd.jsonc b/tasks/prd.jsonc
index fbf52f5..ac6f38a 100644
--- a/tasks/prd.jsonc
+++ b/tasks/prd.jsonc
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 				"Config with neither set results in effective language '' (auto)",
 				"Typecheck passes"
 			],
-			"passes": false
+			"passes": true
 		},
 		{
 			"title": "Update config template to include general section",