diff --git a/lib/functions/host/docker.sh b/lib/functions/host/docker.sh
index 9def3d16f8..6b1e394a4a 100644
--- a/lib/functions/host/docker.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/host/docker.sh
@@ -292,10 +292,9 @@ function docker_cli_prepare_dockerfile() {
 		${c}RUN echo "--> CACHE MISS IN DOCKERFILE: apt packages." && \\
 		${c} DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -y update && \\
 		${c} DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends ${BASIC_DEPS[@]} ${host_dependencies[@]}
-		${c}RUN sed -i 's/# en_US.UTF-8/en_US.UTF-8/' /etc/locale.gen
-		${c}RUN locale-gen
+		${c}# Use C.UTF-8 locale which is available in rootfs from the very first command
 		WORKDIR ${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}
-		ENV ARMBIAN_RUNNING_IN_CONTAINER=yes
+		ENV ARMBIAN_RUNNING_IN_CONTAINER=yes LANG=C.UTF-8
 		ADD . ${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}/
 		${c}${c_req}RUN echo "--> CACHE MISS IN DOCKERFILE: running Armbian requirements initialization." && \\
 		${c}${c_req} ARMBIAN_INSIDE_DOCKERFILE_BUILD="yes" /bin/bash "${DOCKER_ARMBIAN_TARGET_PATH}/compile.sh" requirements SHOW_LOG=yes && \\
diff --git a/lib/functions/host/prepare-host.sh b/lib/functions/host/prepare-host.sh
index 916c1be0d8..55bbada64e 100644
--- a/lib/functions/host/prepare-host.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/host/prepare-host.sh
@@ -57,11 +57,8 @@ function prepare_host_noninteractive() {
 		display_alert "locale-gen is not installed @host" "skipping locale-gen -- problems might arise" "warn"
 	fi
 
-	# Let's try and get all log output in English, overriding the builder's chosen or default language
-	export LANG="en_US.UTF-8"
-	export LANGUAGE="en_US.UTF-8"
-	export LC_ALL="en_US.UTF-8"
-	export LC_MESSAGES="en_US.UTF-8"
+	# Use C.UTF-8 locale which is always available in rootfs from the very first command
+	export LANG="C.UTF-8"
 
 	declare -g USE_LOCAL_APT_DEB_CACHE=${USE_LOCAL_APT_DEB_CACHE:-yes} # Use SRC/cache/aptcache as local apt cache by default
 	display_alert "Using local apt cache?" "USE_LOCAL_APT_DEB_CACHE: ${USE_LOCAL_APT_DEB_CACHE}" "debug"