This paper reports on two studies. The first study examines the learning of French as an L3 by Anglophone students of French whose L2 was Irish and by balanced bilinguals. The second study investigates German as L3 with reference to two groups of English-speaking participants who have Irish as a longstanding L2. The studies show the psychotypological factor to be an important component of participants’ cross-linguistic consultation when faced with challenges in their L3.