diff --git a/python-pylint.changes b/python-pylint.changes
index 069ecf9..1ea413a 100644
--- a/python-pylint.changes
+++ b/python-pylint.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Wed Mar 18 19:37:36 UTC 2020 - Dirk Mueller <dmueller@suse.com>
+
+- set locale during build/test to fix build on older releases (bsc#1124989)
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Wed Nov 13 15:49:50 CET 2019 - Matej Cepl <mcepl@suse.com>
 
diff --git a/python-pylint.spec b/python-pylint.spec
index 5f13125..fae9f83 100644
--- a/python-pylint.spec
+++ b/python-pylint.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # spec file for package python-pylint
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2019 SUSE LLC.
+# Copyright (c) 2020 SUSE LLC
 #
 # All modifications and additions to the file contributed by third parties
 # remain the property of their copyright owners, unless otherwise agreed
@@ -72,9 +72,11 @@ feature.
 %setup -q -n pylint-pylint-%{version}
 
 %build
+export LC_ALL="en_US.UTF-8"
 %python_build
 
 %install
+export LC_ALL="en_US.UTF-8"
 %python_install
 for p in pylint epylint pyreverse symilar ; do
     %python_clone -a %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/$p
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ done
 %check
 # test_by_module_statement_value - fails due to %%pytest macro way of execution
 export PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
+export LC_ALL="en_US.UTF-8"
 %pytest -k "not test_by_module_statement_value"
 
 %files %{python_files}