diff --git a/gramps/gen/utils/grampslocale.py b/gramps/gen/utils/grampslocale.py
index 62889d072..1a7107e62 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/utils/grampslocale.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/utils/grampslocale.py
@@ -915,6 +915,23 @@ class GrampsLocale(object):
         """
         return GrampsType.xml_str(name)
 
+    def format(self, format, val, grouping=False, monetary=False):
+        """
+        Format a number in the current numeric locale. See python's
+        locale.format for details.  ICU's formatting codes are
+        incompatible with locale's, so just use locale.format for now.
+        """
+        return locale.format(format, val, grouping, monetary)
+
+    def format_string(self, format, val, grouping=False):
+        """
+        Format a string in the current numeric locale. See python's
+        locale.format_string for details.  ICU's message formatting codes are
+        incompatible with locale's, so just use locale.format_string
+        for now.
+        """
+        return locale.format_string(format, val, grouping)
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # Translations Classes
diff --git a/gramps/plugins/gramplet/agestats.py b/gramps/plugins/gramplet/agestats.py
index 00fe0c50a..cf9262c4f 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/gramplet/agestats.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/gramplet/agestats.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 This Gramplet shows textual distributions of age breakdowns of various types.
 """
 
-import locale
 from collections import defaultdict
 
 from gramps.gen.plug import Gramplet
@@ -230,7 +229,7 @@ class AgeStatsGramplet(Gramplet):
         retval = _("Statistics") + ":\n"
         retval += "  " + _("Total") + ": %d\n" % count
         retval += "  " + _("Minimum") + ": %d\n" % minval
-        retval += "  " + _("Average") + locale.format_string(": %.1f\n", average)
+        retval += "  " + _("Average") + glocale.format_string(": %.1f\n", average)
         retval += "  " + _("Median") + ": %d\n" % median
         retval += "  " + _("Maximum") + ": %d\n" % maxval
         return retval
@@ -279,7 +278,7 @@ class AgeStatsGramplet(Gramplet):
                             len(selected))
                 procent = (float(len(selected)) / 
                                 (float(sum(hash.values())))*100)
-                self.append_text(locale.format("%#5.2f", procent))
+                self.append_text(glocale.format("%#5.2f", procent))
                 self.append_text("\n")
                 i += 1
             self.append_text("--------" + 
diff --git a/gramps/plugins/gramplet/pedigreegramplet.py b/gramps/plugins/gramplet/pedigreegramplet.py
index 202a3acb0..3dc2b66a1 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/gramplet/pedigreegramplet.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/gramplet/pedigreegramplet.py
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import cgi
-import locale
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -261,13 +260,13 @@ class PedigreeGramplet(Gramplet):
             if g == 0:
                 self.link(_("Generation 1"), 'PersonList', handles, 
                           tooltip=_("Double-click to see people in generation"))
-                percent = locale.format( '%.2f', 100) + percent_sign
+                percent = glocale.format( '%.2f', 100) + percent_sign
                 self.append_text(_(" has 1 of 1 individual (%(percent)s complete)\n") %  {'percent': percent})
             else:
                 all.extend(handles)
                 self.link(_("Generation %d") % g, 'PersonList', handles,
                           tooltip=_("Double-click to see people in generation %d") % g)
-                percent = locale.format('%.2f', float(count)/2**(g-1) * 100) + percent_sign
+                percent = glocale.format('%.2f', float(count)/2**(g-1) * 100) + percent_sign
                 self.append_text(glocale.translation.ngettext(
                     " has %(count_person)d of %(max_count_person)d individuals (%(percent)s complete)\n",
                     " has %(count_person)d of %(max_count_person)d individuals (%(percent)s complete)\n",
diff --git a/gramps/plugins/textreport/numberofancestorsreport.py b/gramps/plugins/textreport/numberofancestorsreport.py
index 453ad616a..bf6edbeda 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/textreport/numberofancestorsreport.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/textreport/numberofancestorsreport.py
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@
 #
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
 import copy
-from gramps.gen.const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
-_ = glocale.translation.gettext
-import locale
 import math
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -42,6 +39,8 @@ import math
 # GRAMPS modules
 #
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
+from gramps.gen.const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
+_ = glocale.translation.gettext
 from gramps.gen.display.name import displayer as global_name_display
 from gramps.gen.errors import ReportError
 from gramps.gen.plug.menu import PersonOption
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ class NumberOfAncestorsReport(Report):
                 gen += 1
                 theoretical = math.pow(2, ( gen - 1 ) )
                 total_theoretical += theoretical
-                percent = '(%s%%)' % locale.format('%3.2f', 
+                percent = '(%s%%)' % glocale.format('%3.2f', 
                     ((sum(thisgen.values()) / theoretical ) * 100))
                 
                 # TC # English return something like:
diff --git a/gramps/webapp/utils.py b/gramps/webapp/utils.py
index ec289df49..2fdd571d5 100644
--- a/gramps/webapp/utils.py
+++ b/gramps/webapp/utils.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-import locale
 import sys
 import re
 import datetime
@@ -71,8 +70,13 @@ from gramps.gen.utils.db import get_birth_or_fallback, get_death_or_fallback
 from gramps.gen.plug import BasePluginManager
 from gramps.cli.grampscli import CLIManager
 from gramps.gen.constfunc import STRTYPE
+from gramps.gen.utils.grampslocale import GrampsLocale
 
-_ = lambda msg: msg
+#FIXME: A locale should be obtained from the user and used to
+#initialize the locale. Passing in lang and language parameters to the
+#constructor prevents querying the environment.
+glocale = GrampsLocale(lang='en_US.UTF-8', languages=['en'])
+_ = glocale.translation.gettext
 
 TAB_HEIGHT = 200
 
@@ -151,22 +155,12 @@ def probably_alive(handle):
     return alive(person, db)
 
 def format_number(number, with_grouping=True):
-    # FIXME: should be user's setting
-    try:
-        locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, "en_US.utf8")
-    except:
-        pass
-    if number != "":
-        return locale.format("%d", number, with_grouping)
+      if number != "":
+        return glocale.format("%d", number, with_grouping)
     else:
-        return locale.format("%d", 0, with_grouping)
+        return glocale.format("%d", 0, with_grouping)
 
 def table_count(table, with_grouping=True):
-    # FIXME: should be user's setting
-    try:
-        locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, "en_US.utf8")
-    except:
-        pass
     if table == "person":
         number = models.Person.objects.count()
     elif table == "family":
@@ -189,7 +183,7 @@ def table_count(table, with_grouping=True):
         number = models.Tag.objects.count()
     else:
         return "[unknown table]"
-    return locale.format("%d", number, with_grouping)
+    return glocale.format("%d", number, with_grouping)
 
 def nbsp(string):
     """