diff --git a/board/common/rootfs/etc/bash.bashrc b/board/common/rootfs/etc/bash.bashrc
index ce52f90e..2d4c139a 100644
--- a/board/common/rootfs/etc/bash.bashrc
+++ b/board/common/rootfs/etc/bash.bashrc
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ bind "set completion-ignore-case on"
 # show all completions immediately instead of ringing bell
 bind "set show-all-if-ambiguous on"
 
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
+
 log()
 {
     local fn="/var/log/syslog"
diff --git a/board/common/rootfs/etc/finit.conf b/board/common/rootfs/etc/finit.conf
index 2171d4e0..4ee16682 100644
--- a/board/common/rootfs/etc/finit.conf
+++ b/board/common/rootfs/etc/finit.conf
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 set COLORTERM=yes
-rlimit soft core infinity
\ No newline at end of file
+set LANG=C.UTF-8
+rlimit soft core infinity
diff --git a/board/common/rootfs/etc/profile.d/convenience.sh b/board/common/rootfs/etc/profile.d/convenience.sh
index e01a48b8..05235ff3 100644
--- a/board/common/rootfs/etc/profile.d/convenience.sh
+++ b/board/common/rootfs/etc/profile.d/convenience.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ alias la='ls -A'
 alias ll='ls -alF'
 alias ls='ls --color=auto'
 
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
 export EDITOR=/usr/bin/edit
 export VISUAL=/usr/bin/edit
 export LESS="-P %f (press h for help or q to quit)"