diff --git a/gnu/system/vm.scm b/gnu/system/vm.scm
index 92b03b01ad..124abd0fc9 100644
--- a/gnu/system/vm.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/vm.scm
@@ -283,6 +283,11 @@ (define schema
 
            (sql-schema #$schema)
 
+           ;; Allow non-ASCII file names--e.g., 'nss-certs'--to be decoded.
+           (setenv "GUIX_LOCPATH"
+                   #+(file-append glibc-utf8-locales "/lib/locale"))
+           (setlocale LC_ALL "en_US.utf8")
+
            (let ((inputs
                   '#$(append (list qemu parted e2fsprogs dosfstools xorriso)
                              (map canonical-package
@@ -379,6 +384,11 @@ (define schema
 
            (sql-schema #$schema)
 
+           ;; Allow non-ASCII file names--e.g., 'nss-certs'--to be decoded.
+           (setenv "GUIX_LOCPATH"
+                   #+(file-append glibc-utf8-locales "/lib/locale"))
+           (setlocale LC_ALL "en_US.utf8")
+
            (let ((inputs
                   '#$(append (list qemu parted e2fsprogs dosfstools)
                              (map canonical-package