diff --git a/base/glibc/glibc.conf b/base/glibc/glibc.conf
index 1101618d7..e2940ff13 100644
--- a/base/glibc/glibc.conf
+++ b/base/glibc/glibc.conf
@@ -222,10 +222,14 @@ pkg_glibc_postmake()
 	#
 	if atstage native; then
 
-		# install locales
-		#
-		eval $MAKE localedata/install-locales
-		cp ../localedata/SUPPORTED $root/usr/share/i18n/
+		# install locales when building the default ABI or create
+		# a symlink for the other selected ABIs
+		if [ "$abi" == "$SDECFG_ABI_DEFAULT" ]; then
+			eval $MAKE localedata/install-locales
+			cp ../localedata/SUPPORTED $root/usr/share/i18n/
+		else
+			ln -sf ../lib/locale $root$libdir/locale
+		fi
 
 		if [ "$SDECFG_PKG_GLIBC_TLS" != 1 ]; then
 			# install linuxthread manpages