diff --git a/libbb/unicode.c b/libbb/unicode.c
index 99dc1dfa6..c1e3966fe 100644
--- a/libbb/unicode.c
+++ b/libbb/unicode.c
@@ -39,8 +39,11 @@ void FAST_FUNC reinit_unicode(const char *LANG)
 
 void FAST_FUNC init_unicode(void)
 {
-	if (unicode_status == UNICODE_UNKNOWN)
-		reinit_unicode(getenv("LANG"));
+	if (unicode_status == UNICODE_UNKNOWN) {
+		char *s = getenv("LC_ALL");
+		if (!s) s = getenv("LANG");
+		reinit_unicode(s);
+	}
 }
 
 #else
@@ -58,8 +61,11 @@ void FAST_FUNC reinit_unicode(const char *LANG)
 
 void FAST_FUNC init_unicode(void)
 {
-	if (unicode_status == UNICODE_UNKNOWN)
-		reinit_unicode(getenv("LANG"));
+	if (unicode_status == UNICODE_UNKNOWN) {
+		char *s = getenv("LC_ALL");
+		if (!s) s = getenv("LANG");
+		reinit_unicode(s);
+	}
 }
 # endif
 
diff --git a/shell/ash.c b/shell/ash.c
index 6af14f551..90f222467 100644
--- a/shell/ash.c
+++ b/shell/ash.c
@@ -9657,7 +9657,11 @@ preadfd(void)
 		 * _during_ shell execution, not only if it was set when
 		 * shell was started. Therefore, re-check LANG every time:
 		 */
-		reinit_unicode(lookupvar("LANG"));
+		{
+			const char *s = lookupvar("LC_ALL");
+			if (!s) s = lookupvar("LANG");
+			reinit_unicode(s);
+		}
 		nr = read_line_input(line_input_state, cmdedit_prompt, buf, IBUFSIZ, timeout);
 		if (nr == 0) {
 			/* Ctrl+C pressed */
diff --git a/shell/hush.c b/shell/hush.c
index 1a2603e3b..1fa84dc4f 100644
--- a/shell/hush.c
+++ b/shell/hush.c
@@ -2044,7 +2044,9 @@ static void get_user_input(struct in_str *i)
 		 * _during_ shell execution, not only if it was set when
 		 * shell was started. Therefore, re-check LANG every time:
 		 */
-		reinit_unicode(get_local_var_value("LANG"));
+		const char *s = get_local_var_value("LC_ALL");
+		if (!s) s = get_local_var_value("LANG");
+		reinit_unicode(s);
 
 		G.flag_SIGINT = 0;
 		/* buglet: SIGINT will not make new prompt to appear _at once_,