diff --git a/src/orca/orca_gtkbuilder.py b/src/orca/orca_gtkbuilder.py
index 83e9f975c..93b82160c 100644
--- a/src/orca/orca_gtkbuilder.py
+++ b/src/orca/orca_gtkbuilder.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ __copyright__ = "Copyright (c) 2005-2009 Sun Microsystems Inc."
 __license__   = "LGPL"
 
 import gettext
+import locale
 from gi.repository import Gtk
 
 from .orca_i18n import _
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ class GtkBuilderWrapper:
 
     def __init__(self, fileName, windowName):
         # Load GtkBuilder file.
+        prev_locale = locale.getlocale(LC_CTYPE)
+        locale.setlocale(locale.LC_CTYPE, "C.UTF-8")
         self.builder = Gtk.Builder()
         self.builder.set_translation_domain(gettext.textdomain())
         self.builder.add_from_file(fileName)
@@ -62,6 +65,7 @@ class GtkBuilderWrapper:
         for attribute in dir(self.__class__):
             instance_attributes[attribute] = getattr(self, attribute)
         self.builder.connect_signals(instance_attributes)
+        locale.setlocale(locale.LC_CTYPE, prev_locale)
 
     def set_orca_icon(self):
         """Get the icon in all sizes from the current theme and set them as
