diff --git a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/connect.c b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/connect.c
index 90f2ba9701..96f99ae072 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/connect.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/connect.c
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
 #include "ecpgtype.h"
 #include "sqlca.h"
 
+#ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
+locale_t	ecpg_clocale;
+#endif
+
 #ifdef ENABLE_THREAD_SAFETY
 static pthread_mutex_t connections_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 static pthread_key_t actual_connection_key;
@@ -504,6 +508,42 @@ ECPGconnect(int lineno, int c, const char *name, const char *user, const char *p
 #ifdef ENABLE_THREAD_SAFETY
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&connections_mutex);
 #endif
+
+	/*
+	 * ... but first, make certain we have created ecpg_clocale.  Rely on
+	 * holding connections_mutex to ensure this is done by only one thread.
+	 */
+#ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
+	if (!ecpg_clocale)
+	{
+		ecpg_clocale = newlocale(LC_NUMERIC_MASK, "C", (locale_t) 0);
+		if (!ecpg_clocale)
+		{
+#ifdef ENABLE_THREAD_SAFETY
+			pthread_mutex_unlock(&connections_mutex);
+#endif
+			ecpg_raise(lineno, ECPG_OUT_OF_MEMORY,
+					   ECPG_SQLSTATE_ECPG_OUT_OF_MEMORY, NULL);
+			if (host)
+				ecpg_free(host);
+			if (port)
+				ecpg_free(port);
+			if (options)
+				ecpg_free(options);
+			if (realname)
+				ecpg_free(realname);
+			if (dbname)
+				ecpg_free(dbname);
+			if (conn_keywords)
+				ecpg_free(conn_keywords);
+			if (conn_values)
+				ecpg_free(conn_values);
+			free(this);
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
+#endif
+
 	if (connection_name != NULL)
 		this->name = ecpg_strdup(connection_name, lineno);
 	else
diff --git a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/descriptor.c b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/descriptor.c
index 369c2f0867..f1898dec6a 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/descriptor.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/descriptor.c
@@ -486,9 +486,16 @@ ECPGget_desc(int lineno, const char *desc_name, int index,...)
 		/* since the database gives the standard decimal point */
 		/* (see comments in execute.c) */
 #ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
-		stmt.clocale = newlocale(LC_NUMERIC_MASK, "C", (locale_t) 0);
-		if (stmt.clocale != (locale_t) 0)
-			stmt.oldlocale = uselocale(stmt.clocale);
+
+		/*
+		 * To get here, the above PQnfields() test must have found nonzero
+		 * fields.  One needs a connection to create such a descriptor.  (EXEC
+		 * SQL SET DESCRIPTOR can populate the descriptor's "items", but it
+		 * can't change the descriptor's PQnfields().)  Any successful
+		 * connection initializes ecpg_clocale.
+		 */
+		Assert(ecpg_clocale);
+		stmt.oldlocale = uselocale(ecpg_clocale);
 #else
 #ifdef HAVE__CONFIGTHREADLOCALE
 		stmt.oldthreadlocale = _configthreadlocale(_ENABLE_PER_THREAD_LOCALE);
@@ -504,8 +511,6 @@ ECPGget_desc(int lineno, const char *desc_name, int index,...)
 #ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
 		if (stmt.oldlocale != (locale_t) 0)
 			uselocale(stmt.oldlocale);
-		if (stmt.clocale)
-			freelocale(stmt.clocale);
 #else
 		if (stmt.oldlocale)
 		{
diff --git a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/ecpglib_extern.h b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/ecpglib_extern.h
index 1a98dea1b5..c438cfb820 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/ecpglib_extern.h
+++ b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/ecpglib_extern.h
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ struct ECPGtype_information_cache
 	enum ARRAY_TYPE isarray;
 };
 
+#ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
+extern locale_t ecpg_clocale;	/* LC_NUMERIC=C */
+#endif
+
 /* structure to store one statement */
 struct statement
 {
@@ -73,7 +77,6 @@ struct statement
 	struct variable *inlist;
 	struct variable *outlist;
 #ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
-	locale_t	clocale;
 	locale_t	oldlocale;
 #else
 	char	   *oldlocale;
diff --git a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/execute.c b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/execute.c
index 6a7ef0bbf6..2ebe6656d6 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/execute.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/ecpg/ecpglib/execute.c
@@ -101,10 +101,7 @@ free_statement(struct statement *stmt)
 	free_variable(stmt->outlist);
 	ecpg_free(stmt->command);
 	ecpg_free(stmt->name);
-#ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
-	if (stmt->clocale)
-		freelocale(stmt->clocale);
-#else
+#ifndef HAVE_USELOCALE
 	ecpg_free(stmt->oldlocale);
 #endif
 	ecpg_free(stmt);
@@ -1965,6 +1962,15 @@ ecpg_do_prologue(int lineno, const int compat, const int force_indicator,
 		return false;
 	}
 
+#ifdef ENABLE_THREAD_SAFETY
+	ecpg_pthreads_init();
+#endif
+
+	con = ecpg_get_connection(connection_name);
+
+	if (!ecpg_init(con, connection_name, lineno))
+		return false;
+
 	stmt = (struct statement *) ecpg_alloc(sizeof(struct statement), lineno);
 
 	if (stmt == NULL)
@@ -1979,13 +1985,13 @@ ecpg_do_prologue(int lineno, const int compat, const int force_indicator,
 	 * treat that situation as if the function doesn't exist.
 	 */
 #ifdef HAVE_USELOCALE
-	stmt->clocale = newlocale(LC_NUMERIC_MASK, "C", (locale_t) 0);
-	if (stmt->clocale == (locale_t) 0)
-	{
-		ecpg_do_epilogue(stmt);
-		return false;
-	}
-	stmt->oldlocale = uselocale(stmt->clocale);
+
+	/*
+	 * Since ecpg_init() succeeded, we have a connection.  Any successful
+	 * connection initializes ecpg_clocale.
+	 */
+	Assert(ecpg_clocale);
+	stmt->oldlocale = uselocale(ecpg_clocale);
 	if (stmt->oldlocale == (locale_t) 0)
 	{
 		ecpg_do_epilogue(stmt);
@@ -2004,18 +2010,6 @@ ecpg_do_prologue(int lineno, const int compat, const int force_indicator,
 	setlocale(LC_NUMERIC, "C");
 #endif
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_THREAD_SAFETY
-	ecpg_pthreads_init();
-#endif
-
-	con = ecpg_get_connection(connection_name);
-
-	if (!ecpg_init(con, connection_name, lineno))
-	{
-		ecpg_do_epilogue(stmt);
-		return false;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * If statement type is ECPGst_prepnormal we are supposed to prepare the
 	 * statement before executing them