diff --git a/src/modules/localecfg/main.py b/src/modules/localecfg/main.py
index 155382aabb..e6c37133bb 100644
--- a/src/modules/localecfg/main.py
+++ b/src/modules/localecfg/main.py
@@ -65,15 +65,12 @@ def run():
         with open("{!s}/etc/locale.gen".format(install_path), "w") as gen:
             for line in text:
                 # always enable en_US
-                if line.startswith(en_us_locale, 1):
+                if line.startswith("#" + en_us_locale):
                     # uncomment line
                     line = line[1:].lstrip()
 
                 for locale_value in locale_values:
-                    # check the locale value starting from
-                    # the second index because we expect that
-                    # the first one is a '#'
-                    if line.startswith(locale_value, 1):
+                    if line.startswith("#" + locale_value):
                         # uncomment line
                         line = line[1:].lstrip()