diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b3bd91eb54..1af51de506 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ LOCALE_NOPURGE = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE_WHITELIST))
 
 define PURGE_LOCALES
 	rm -f $(LOCALE_WHITELIST)
-	for i in $(LOCALE_NOPURGE); do echo $$i >> $(LOCALE_WHITELIST); done
+	for i in $(LOCALE_NOPURGE) locale-archive; do echo $$i >> $(LOCALE_WHITELIST); done
 
 	for dir in $(wildcard $(addprefix $(TARGET_DIR),/usr/share/locale /usr/share/X11/locale /usr/man /usr/share/man /usr/lib/locale)); \
 	do \