diff --git a/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb b/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb
index 1aa8be4e..2890ff49 100644
--- a/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb
+++ b/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb
@@ -235,6 +235,13 @@ if mode() == "unload" or mode() == "dependencyCk" or convertToCanonical(easybuil
     setenv ("EASYBUILD_SEARCH_PATH_CPP_HEADERS", "include_paths")
   end
 end
+
+-- Avoid locale related problems by (temporarily) overwriting the locale with one we know exists ('locale -a')
+pushenv ("LANG", "C.utf8")
+pushenv ("LC_ALL", "C.utf8")
+pushenv ("LC_CTYPE", "C.utf8")
+pushenv ("LC_MESSAGES", "C.utf8")
+
 """
 
 moduleclass = 'devel'