diff --git a/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/build.gradle.kts b/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/build.gradle.kts
index 112f8424..333c2a96 100644
--- a/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/build.gradle.kts
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ tasks.named<BootBuildImage>("bootBuildImage") {
         "BPE_APPEND_JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS",
         "-XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=1g -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 -Dkie.repository.project.cache.size=50 -Dkie.repository.project.versions.cache.size=5"
     )
+    environment.put("BPE_DEFAULT_LANG", "en_US.utf8") // java.text.Normalizer does not care for file.encoding
 
     imageName.set("nexus.knecon.com:5001/red/${project.name}")// must build image with same name always, otherwise the builder will not know which image to use as cache. DO NOT CHANGE!
     if (project.hasProperty("buildbootDockerHostNetwork")) {