diff --git a/Modules/main.c b/Modules/main.c
@@ -1291,10 +1291,17 @@ pymain_read_conf(_PyMain *pymain, _PyCoreConfig *config,
    int init_legacy_encoding = Py_LegacyWindowsFSEncodingFlag;
#endif
    _PyCoreConfig save_config = _PyCoreConfig_INIT;
    int res = -1;

-    /* Set LC_CTYPE to the user preferred locale */
-    _Py_SetLocaleFromEnv(LC_CTYPE);

    int locale_coerced = 0;
    int loops = 0;
@@ -1385,6 +1392,10 @@ pymain_read_conf(_PyMain *pymain, _PyCoreConfig *config,

done:
    _PyCoreConfig_Clear(&save_config);
    Py_UTF8Mode = init_utf8_mode ;
#ifdef MS_WINDOWS
    Py_LegacyWindowsFSEncodingFlag = init_legacy_encoding;