diff --git a/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh b/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
index 7d5856c65d..2995ea9972 100755
--- a/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
+++ b/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ patchdir=${2-../kernel-patches}
 shift 2
 patchpattern=${@-*}
 
+# use a well defined sorting order
+export LC_COLLATE=C
+
 if [ ! -d "${builddir}" ] ; then
     echo "Aborting.  '${builddir}' is not a directory."
     exit 1