diff --git a/linkcheck/__init__.py b/linkcheck/__init__.py
index d655a767..33519647 100644
--- a/linkcheck/__init__.py
+++ b/linkcheck/__init__.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def get_link_pat (arg, strict=False):
     }
 
 
-def init_i18n ():
+def init_i18n (loc=None):
     """Initialize i18n with the configured locale dir. The environment
     variable LOCPATH can also specify a locale dir.
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def init_i18n ():
         locdir = os.environ['LOCPATH']
     else:
         locdir = os.path.join(get_install_data(), 'share', 'locale')
-    i18n.init(configdata.name.lower(), locdir)
+    i18n.init(configdata.name.lower(), locdir, loc=loc)
     # install translated log level names
     import logging
     logging.addLevelName(logging.CRITICAL, _('CRITICAL'))
diff --git a/linkcheck/i18n.py b/linkcheck/i18n.py
index 5f53f209..3d448b98 100644
--- a/linkcheck/i18n.py
+++ b/linkcheck/i18n.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class NullTranslator (gettext.NullTranslations):
         install_builtin(self, do_unicode)
 
 
-def init (domain, directory):
+def init (domain, directory, loc=None):
     """Initialize this gettext i18n module. Searches for supported languages
     and installs the gettext translator class."""
     global default_language, default_encoding
@@ -70,7 +70,10 @@ def init (domain, directory):
             mo_file = os.path.join(path, '%s.mo' % domain)
             if os.path.exists(mo_file):
                 supported_languages.add(lang)
-    loc, encoding = get_locale()
+    if loc is None:
+        loc, encoding = get_locale()
+    else:
+        encoding = get_locale()[1]
     if loc in supported_languages:
         default_language = loc
     else:
diff --git a/tests/checker/__init__.py b/tests/checker/__init__.py
index f82b78f9..01a61e4f 100644
--- a/tests/checker/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/checker/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import linkcheck.checker
 import linkcheck.configuration
 import linkcheck.director
 import linkcheck.logger
-import linkcheck.i18n
 from .. import get_file
 
 # helper alias
@@ -141,10 +140,14 @@ class LinkCheckTest (unittest.TestCase):
     Functional test class with ability to test local files.
     """
 
+    def setUp (self):
+        """Ensure the current locale setting is the default.
+        Otherwise, warnings will get translated and will break tests."""
+        super(LinkCheckTest, self).setUp()
+        linkcheck.init_i18n(loc='C')
+
     def norm (self, url, encoding=None):
-        """
-        Helper function to norm a url.
-        """
+        """Helper function to norm a url."""
         return linkcheck.url.url_norm(url, encoding=encoding)[0]
 
     def get_attrs (self, **kwargs):