diff --git a/locale.c b/locale.c
index 5198c6174a74..46ba6d22037f 100644
--- a/locale.c
+++ b/locale.c
@@ -4798,6 +4798,11 @@ Perl_init_i18nl10n(pTHX_ int printwarn)
     DEBUG_Lv(PerlIO_printf(Perl_debug_log, "created C object %p\n",
                            PL_C_locale_obj));
 
+#    ifdef USE_LOCALE_NUMERIC
+
+    PL_underlying_numeric_obj = duplocale(PL_C_locale_obj);
+
+#    endif
 #  endif
 #  ifdef USE_LOCALE_COLLATE