diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index 52e2f090ecf..e14ebfa6803 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -1039,8 +1039,8 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
             # issues but is preferable to simply failing because
             # of an unknown locale
             locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, 'C')
-            os.environ['LANG']     = 'C'
-            os.environ['LC_CTYPE'] = 'C'
+            os.environ['LANG'] = 'C'
+            os.environ['LC_ALL'] = 'C'
             os.environ['LC_MESSAGES'] = 'C'
         except Exception:
             e = get_exception()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/sh.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/sh.py
index e27827e9746..cd765e413cf 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/sh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/sh.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class ShellModule(object):
         '''Build command prefix with environment variables.'''
         env = dict(
             LANG        = C.DEFAULT_MODULE_LANG,
-            LC_CTYPE    = C.DEFAULT_MODULE_LANG,
+            LC_ALL      = C.DEFAULT_MODULE_LANG,
             LC_MESSAGES = C.DEFAULT_MODULE_LANG,
         )
         env.update(kwargs)