diff --git a/libs/libc/locale/lib_setlocale.c b/libs/libc/locale/lib_setlocale.c
index 7bbdb57d651..e037d714ec0 100644
--- a/libs/libc/locale/lib_setlocale.c
+++ b/libs/libc/locale/lib_setlocale.c
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@
 
 FAR char *setlocale(int category, FAR const char *locale)
 {
+  if (locale == NULL)
+    {
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
   return ((strcmp(locale, "POSIX") == 0 || strcmp(locale, "C") == 0 ||
            strcmp(locale, "") == 0) ? "C" :  NULL);
 }