diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/etc/locale.conf b/overlay/rootfs/etc/locale.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9c983c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/etc/locale.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+LANG=C.UTF-8
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile b/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile
index 8b00b73..3c8d08c 100644
--- a/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ export EDITOR=nano
 export VISUAL=nano
 export PAGER="less -RXF"
 export LESS="-RXF"
+export TERM=xterm-256color
+export CHARSET=UTF-8
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
+export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+export LC_COLLATE=C.UTF-8
 umask 022
 
 # use nicer PS1 for bash and busybox ash
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile.d/20locale.sh b/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile.d/20locale.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..101b261
--- /dev/null
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile.d/20locale.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+export CHARSET=UTF-8
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
+export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+export LC_COLLATE=C.UTF-8
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile.d/sxmo_init.sh b/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile.d/sxmo_init.sh
index 2c08117..c5944db 100644
--- a/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile.d/sxmo_init.sh
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/etc/profile.d/sxmo_init.sh
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@ _sxmo_load_environments() {
 	export VISUAL="${VISUAL:-nano}"
 	export PAGER="less -RXF"
 	export LESS="-RXF"
+	export TERM=xterm-256color
+	export CHARSET=UTF-8
+	export LANG=C.UTF-8
+	export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+	export LC_COLLATE=C.UTF-8
 	export BROWSER="${BROWSER:-firefox}"
 	export SHELL="${SHELL:-/bin/sh}"
 
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.Xresources b/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.Xresources
index b15c5cb..4f477d6 100644
--- a/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.Xresources
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.Xresources
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dwm.selbordercolor: #005577
 dwm.selfgcolor: #ffffff
 
 st.font: Fira Code:pixelsize=18:style=Regular:antialias=true:autohint=true
+st.termname: xterm-256color
 st.background: #1c1c1c
 st.foreground: #e5e5e5
 st.cursorColor: #cccccc
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.config/sxmo/profile b/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.config/sxmo/profile
index 3991864..4047777 100755
--- a/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.config/sxmo/profile
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.config/sxmo/profile
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ export EDITOR="nano"
 export VISUAL="nano"
 export PAGER="less -RXF"
 export LESS="-RXF"
+export TERM="xterm-256color"
+export CHARSET="UTF-8"
+export LANG="C.UTF-8"
+export LC_ALL="C.UTF-8"
+export LC_COLLATE="C.UTF-8"
 export SXMO_WM="dwm"
 export SXMO_MENU="dmenu"
 export SXMO_TERMINAL="st"
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.profile b/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.profile
index fe4e327..207f7c6 100644
--- a/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.profile
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/etc/skel/.profile
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ export EDITOR=nano
 export VISUAL=nano
 export PAGER="less -RXF"
 export LESS="-RXF"
+export TERM=xterm-256color
+export CHARSET=UTF-8
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
+export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+export LC_COLLATE=C.UTF-8
 export SXMO_WM=dwm
 export SXMO_MENU=dmenu
 export SXMO_TERMINAL=st
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.Xresources b/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.Xresources
index b15c5cb..4f477d6 100644
--- a/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.Xresources
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.Xresources
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dwm.selbordercolor: #005577
 dwm.selfgcolor: #ffffff
 
 st.font: Fira Code:pixelsize=18:style=Regular:antialias=true:autohint=true
+st.termname: xterm-256color
 st.background: #1c1c1c
 st.foreground: #e5e5e5
 st.cursorColor: #cccccc
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.config/sxmo/profile b/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.config/sxmo/profile
index 3991864..4047777 100755
--- a/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.config/sxmo/profile
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.config/sxmo/profile
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ export EDITOR="nano"
 export VISUAL="nano"
 export PAGER="less -RXF"
 export LESS="-RXF"
+export TERM="xterm-256color"
+export CHARSET="UTF-8"
+export LANG="C.UTF-8"
+export LC_ALL="C.UTF-8"
+export LC_COLLATE="C.UTF-8"
 export SXMO_WM="dwm"
 export SXMO_MENU="dmenu"
 export SXMO_TERMINAL="st"
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.profile b/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.profile
index fe4e327..207f7c6 100644
--- a/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.profile
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/home/user/.profile
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ export EDITOR=nano
 export VISUAL=nano
 export PAGER="less -RXF"
 export LESS="-RXF"
+export TERM=xterm-256color
+export CHARSET=UTF-8
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
+export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+export LC_COLLATE=C.UTF-8
 export SXMO_WM=dwm
 export SXMO_MENU=dmenu
 export SXMO_TERMINAL=st
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/bananarchy-x11-session.sh b/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/bananarchy-x11-session.sh
index 380057f..d077b21 100755
--- a/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/bananarchy-x11-session.sh
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/bananarchy-x11-session.sh
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ export EDITOR=nano
 export VISUAL=nano
 export PAGER="less -RXF"
 export LESS="-RXF"
+export TERM=xterm-256color
+export CHARSET=UTF-8
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
+export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+export LC_COLLATE=C.UTF-8
 export SXMO_DISABLE_LEDS=1
 export SXMO_NO_VIRTUAL_KEYBOARD=1
 export NO_AT_BRIDGE=1
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/st b/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/st
index c275395..2e57535 100755
Binary files a/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/st and b/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/st differ
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/sxmo_terminal.sh b/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/sxmo_terminal.sh
index 43aadb6..73e8060 100755
--- a/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/sxmo_terminal.sh
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/usr/bin/sxmo_terminal.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 # Copyright 2022 Sxmo Contributors
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086
 
+export TERM=xterm-256color
+export CHARSET=UTF-8
+export LANG=C.UTF-8
+export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+
 SXMO_TERMINAL="${SXMO_TERMINAL:-st}"
 
 if [ -z "$*" ]; then
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/Xresources b/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/Xresources
index b15c5cb..4f477d6 100644
--- a/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/Xresources
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/Xresources
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dwm.selbordercolor: #005577
 dwm.selfgcolor: #ffffff
 
 st.font: Fira Code:pixelsize=18:style=Regular:antialias=true:autohint=true
+st.termname: xterm-256color
 st.background: #1c1c1c
 st.foreground: #e5e5e5
 st.cursorColor: #cccccc
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/profile_template b/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/profile_template
index 3991864..4047777 100755
--- a/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/profile_template
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/appcfg/profile_template
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ export EDITOR="nano"
 export VISUAL="nano"
 export PAGER="less -RXF"
 export LESS="-RXF"
+export TERM="xterm-256color"
+export CHARSET="UTF-8"
+export LANG="C.UTF-8"
+export LC_ALL="C.UTF-8"
+export LC_COLLATE="C.UTF-8"
 export SXMO_WM="dwm"
 export SXMO_MENU="dmenu"
 export SXMO_TERMINAL="st"
diff --git a/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/default_hooks/sxmo_hook_contextmenu.sh b/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/default_hooks/sxmo_hook_contextmenu.sh
index 0be8b43..90a70a1 100755
--- a/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/default_hooks/sxmo_hook_contextmenu.sh
+++ b/overlay/rootfs/usr/share/sxmo/default_hooks/sxmo_hook_contextmenu.sh
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ case "$WMCLASS" in
 		"
 		WINNAME=St
 		;;
-	st|st-*|*terminal*|org.gnome.vte.application|org.gnome.vte.app.gtk4|*alacritty*)
+	st|st-*|xterm*|*terminal*|org.gnome.vte.application|org.gnome.vte.app.gtk4|*alacritty*)
 
 		# These git commands only launch the editor.
 		case "$WMNAME" in
diff --git a/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/bin/st b/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/bin/st
index c275395..2e57535 100755
Binary files a/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/bin/st and b/prebuilt/sxmo-x11/usr/bin/st differ
diff --git a/scripts/configure-rootfs-from-scratch.sh b/scripts/configure-rootfs-from-scratch.sh
index 73d30f6..37c3b73 100755
--- a/scripts/configure-rootfs-from-scratch.sh
+++ b/scripts/configure-rootfs-from-scratch.sh
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ ff02::2		ipv6-allrouters
 ff02::3		ipv6-allhosts
 EOF
 
-  echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > "$ROOTFS/etc/locale.conf"
+  echo "LANG=C.UTF-8" > "$ROOTFS/etc/locale.conf"
   if [ -f "$ROOTFS/usr/share/zoneinfo/UTC" ]; then
     cp "$ROOTFS/usr/share/zoneinfo/UTC" "$ROOTFS/etc/localtime"
     echo "UTC" > "$ROOTFS/etc/timezone"
diff --git a/src/sxmo-st/config.def.h b/src/sxmo-st/config.def.h
index 11df9d1..5cfc1e6 100644
--- a/src/sxmo-st/config.def.h
+++ b/src/sxmo-st/config.def.h
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static unsigned int cursorthickness = 2;
 static int bellvolume = 0;
 
 /* default TERM value */
-char *termname = "st-256color";
+char *termname = "xterm-256color";
 
 /*
  * spaces per tab
diff --git a/src/sxmo-st/config.h b/src/sxmo-st/config.h
index 11df9d1..5cfc1e6 100644
--- a/src/sxmo-st/config.h
+++ b/src/sxmo-st/config.h
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static unsigned int cursorthickness = 2;
 static int bellvolume = 0;
 
 /* default TERM value */
-char *termname = "st-256color";
+char *termname = "xterm-256color";
 
 /*
  * spaces per tab
diff --git a/src/sxmo-st/st.c b/src/sxmo-st/st.c
index 1bb5b37..38e41d3 100644
--- a/src/sxmo-st/st.c
+++ b/src/sxmo-st/st.c
@@ -715,6 +715,14 @@ execsh(char *cmd, char **args)
 	setenv("SHELL", sh, 1);
 	setenv("HOME", pw->pw_dir, 1);
 	setenv("TERM", termname, 1);
+	setenv("CHARSET", "UTF-8", 1);
+	setenv("LANG", "C.UTF-8", 1);
+	setenv("LC_ALL", "C.UTF-8", 1);
+	setenv("LC_COLLATE", "C.UTF-8", 1);
+	setenv("EDITOR", "nano", 0);
+	setenv("VISUAL", "nano", 0);
+	setenv("PAGER", "less -RXF", 0);
+	setenv("LESS", "-RXF", 0);
 
 	signal(SIGCHLD, SIG_DFL);
 	signal(SIGHUP, SIG_DFL);
diff --git a/src/sxmo-st/x.c b/src/sxmo-st/x.c
index c399523..376b59a 100644
--- a/src/sxmo-st/x.c
+++ b/src/sxmo-st/x.c
@@ -881,8 +881,8 @@ xclear(int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2)
 void
 xhints(void)
 {
-	XClassHint class = {opt_name ? opt_name : termname,
-	                    opt_class ? opt_class : termname};
+	XClassHint class = {opt_name ? opt_name : "st-256color",
+	                    opt_class ? opt_class : "st-256color"};
 	XWMHints wm = {.flags = InputHint, .input = 1};
 	XSizeHints *sizeh;