diff --git a/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2 b/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2
index 3c594c0803..0aa73deb02 100644
--- a/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/docker/base/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 FROM {{ base_image }}:{{ base_distro_tag }}
 LABEL maintainer="{{ maintainer }}" name="{{ image_name }}" build-date="{{ build_date }}"
 
+{% block base_lang %}
+# NOTE(yoctozepto): use a UTF-8 (Unicode) locale like standard image installs do
+# fixes issues arising from ascii fallback usage
+ENV LANG en_US.UTF-8
+{% endblock %}
+
 {# NOTE(SamYaple): Avoid uid/gid conflicts by creating each user/group up front. #}
 {# Specifics required such as homedir or shell are configured within the service specific image #}
 {%- for name, user in users | dictsort() %}
@@ -391,6 +397,9 @@ COPY apt_preferences /etc/apt/preferences.d/kolla-custom
         {% endfor %}
     {% endblock %}
 RUN apt-get update \
+    && apt-get -y install locales \
+    && sed -e "s/# $LANG UTF-8/$LANG UTF-8/g" /etc/locale.gen -i \
+    && locale-gen "$LANG" \
     && apt-get -y upgrade \
     && apt-get -y dist-upgrade \
     && apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends \
diff --git a/kolla/image/build.py b/kolla/image/build.py
index fa15708de7..23f756925d 100755
--- a/kolla/image/build.py
+++ b/kolla/image/build.py
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ SKIPPED_IMAGES = {
         "zun-base",
     ],
     'centos+source': [
+        # FIXME(yoctozepto): temporary block due to upstream issues
+        "bifrost-base",
+
         "ovsdpdk",
         "searchlight-base",
         # TODO(jeffrey4l): remove tripleo-ui when following bug is fixed
@@ -132,6 +135,9 @@ SKIPPED_IMAGES = {
         "zun-base",
     ],
     'ubuntu+source': [
+        # FIXME(yoctozepto): temporary block due to upstream issues
+        "bifrost-base",
+
         # There is no qdrouterd package for ubuntu bionic
         "qdrouterd",
         "searchlight-base",