diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 231edbf6af..767b2cc6e3 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -7579,6 +7579,9 @@ echo "Creating config.mak"
 cat > config.mak << EOF
 # -------- Generated by configure -----------
 
+# Ensure that locale settings do not interfere with shell commands.
+LANG = C
+
 MAN_LANG = $MAN_LANG
 MAN_LANG_ALL = $MAN_LANG_ALL