diff --git a/src/test/icu/t/010_database.pl b/src/test/icu/t/010_database.pl
index 7035ff3c20..3ddc5d878d 100644
--- a/src/test/icu/t/010_database.pl
+++ b/src/test/icu/t/010_database.pl
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ b),
 # Test error cases in CREATE DATABASE involving locale-related options
 
 my ($ret, $stdout, $stderr) = $node1->psql('postgres',
-	q{CREATE DATABASE dbicu LOCALE_PROVIDER icu TEMPLATE template0});
+	q{CREATE DATABASE dbicu LOCALE_PROVIDER icu TEMPLATE template0 ENCODING UTF8});
 isnt($ret, 0,
 	"ICU locale must be specified for ICU provider: exit code not 0");
 like(