diff -p -up hplip-2.8.7/prnt/cups.py.orig1 hplip-2.8.7/prnt/cups.py
--- hplip-2.8.7/prnt/cups.py.orig1	2008-08-28 11:15:59.000000000 -0400
+++ hplip-2.8.7/prnt/cups.py	2008-08-28 11:16:06.000000000 -0400
@@ -38,7 +38,13 @@ from base import utils, models
 # installer and in a fresh sandbox if the Python extensions
 # aren't installed yet.
 try:
+    current_language=os.getenv("LANG")
+    if current_language.count('.'):
+        newlang, encoding = current_language.split('.')
+        newlang+=".UTF-8"
+        os.environ['LANG']=newlang
     import cupsext
+    os.environ['LANG']=current_language
 except ImportError:
     if not os.getenv("HPLIP_BUILD"):
         log.error("CUPSEXT could not be loaded. Please check HPLIP installation.")