diff --git a/src/perl/irssi-core.pl b/src/perl/irssi-core.pl
index 46066a38..0999de9e 100644
--- a/src/perl/irssi-core.pl
+++ b/src/perl/irssi-core.pl
@@ -52,3 +52,10 @@ sub eval_file {
     die "cap_sasl has been unloaded from Irssi ".Irssi::version()." because it conflicts with the built-in SASL support. See /help network for configuring SASL or read the ChangeLog for more information.";
   }
 }
+
+if ( $] >= 5.037005 && $] <= 5.038000 ) {
+  # https://github.com/Perl/perl5/issues/21366
+  print STDERR "\e7 \e[A Irssi: applying locale workaround for Perl 5.38.0 \e8";
+  require POSIX;
+  POSIX::setlocale(&POSIX::LC_ALL, "");
+}