diff --git a/tests/printf.in b/tests/printf.in
index 01f8b2645..3b92cba41 100644
--- a/tests/printf.in
+++ b/tests/printf.in
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ printf "%-20d%d\n" 5 10
 
 printf "%*d\n" 10 100
 
-printf "%%\"\\\n" 
+printf "%%\"\\\n"
 printf "%s\b%s\n" x y
 printf "abc\rdef\n"
 printf "Msg1\fMsg2\n"
@@ -39,6 +39,25 @@ printf '\376' | xxd -p
 # #3334. This starts by assuming an locale using english conventions.
 printf '%e\n' "1.23"  # should succeed, output should be 1.230000e+00
 printf '%e\n' "2,34"  # should fail
-set -x LC_NUMERIC fr_FR.UTF-8
-printf '%e\n' "3,45"  # should succeed, output should be 3,450000e+00
-printf '%e\n' "4.56"  # should succeed, output should be 4,560000e+00
+
+# Try to use one of several locales that use a comma as the decimal mark
+# rather than the period used in english speaking locales. If we don't find
+# one installed we simply don't run this test.
+set -l locales (locale -a)
+set -l acceptable_locales bg_BG de_DE es_ES fr_FR ru_RU
+set -l numeric_locale
+for locale in {$acceptable_locales}.{UTF-8,UTF8}
+    if string match -i -q $locale $locales
+        set numeric_locale $locale
+        break
+    end
+end
+
+if set -q numeric_locale[1]
+    set -x LC_NUMERIC $numeric_locale
+    printf '%e\n' "3,45"  # should succeed, output should be 3,450000e+00
+    printf '%e\n' "4.56"  # should succeed, output should be 4,560000e+00
+else
+    echo '3,450000e+00'
+    echo '4,560000e+00'
+end