diff --git a/share/pgpkeys/checkkey.sh b/share/pgpkeys/checkkey.sh
index efc72a220d..d3d52bf530 100755
--- a/share/pgpkeys/checkkey.sh
+++ b/share/pgpkeys/checkkey.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
 # <https://we.riseup.net/riseuplabs+paow/openpgp-best-practices#openpgp-key-checks>
 #
 
+# make sure we are in a well known language
+LANG=C
+
 \unalias -a
 
 progname=${0##*/}