diff --git a/bin/parser/train.py b/bin/parser/train.py
index aa916d1e0..372c7932e 100755
--- a/bin/parser/train.py
+++ b/bin/parser/train.py
@@ -111,8 +111,6 @@ def train(Language, gold_tuples, model_dir, n_iter=15, feat_set=u'basic',
         gold_tuples = gold_tuples[:n_sents]
 
     nlp = Language(data_dir=model_dir, tagger=False, parser=False, entity=False)
-    if nlp.lang == 'de':
-        nlp.vocab.morphology.lemmatizer = lambda string,pos: set([string])
     nlp.tagger = Tagger.blank(nlp.vocab, Tagger.default_templates())
     nlp.parser = Parser.from_dir(dep_model_dir, nlp.vocab.strings, ArcEager)
     nlp.entity = Parser.from_dir(ner_model_dir, nlp.vocab.strings, BiluoPushDown)
diff --git a/spacy/de/__init__.py b/spacy/de/__init__.py
index 76817ccff..8a2f809ff 100644
--- a/spacy/de/__init__.py
+++ b/spacy/de/__init__.py
@@ -7,3 +7,11 @@ from ..language import Language
 
 class German(Language):
     lang = 'de'
+
+    @classmethod
+    def default_vocab(cls, package, get_lex_attr=None, vectors_package=None):
+        vocab = super(German,cls).default_vocab(package,get_lex_attr,vectors_package)
+        # set a dummy lemmatizer for now that simply returns the same string
+        # until the morphology is done for German
+        vocab.morphology.lemmatizer = lambda string,pos: set([string])
+        return vocab