diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 0247380b902aeea47270b25c64729fe165bef09a..a02250f1624f60000a2b1f9f3cc70441a9982a28 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ export DH_OPTIONS
 %:
 	dh $@  --with=python2,sphinxdoc --buildsystem=pybuild
 
+override_dh_auto_test:
+        # override locale to make sure tests pass
+	LANG=C.UTF-8 dh_auto_test
+
 override_dh_auto_install:
 	dh_auto_install
         # workaround a limitation in distutils, see