diff --git a/gucc/CMakeLists.txt b/gucc/CMakeLists.txt
index 6f75ff9..75a4e06 100644
--- a/gucc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gucc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} SHARED
    src/zfs.cpp include/gucc/zfs.hpp
    src/btrfs.cpp include/gucc/btrfs.hpp
    src/user.cpp include/gucc/user.hpp
+   src/locale.cpp include/gucc/locale.hpp
    #src/chwd_profiles.cpp src/chwd_profiles.hpp
    #src/disk.cpp src/disk.hpp
    )
diff --git a/gucc/include/gucc/locale.hpp b/gucc/include/gucc/locale.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02efd48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gucc/include/gucc/locale.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef LOCALE_HPP
+#define LOCALE_HPP
+
+#include <string_view>  // for string_view
+
+namespace gucc::locale {
+
+// Set system language
+auto set_locale(std::string_view locale, std::string_view mountpoint) noexcept -> bool;
+
+}  // namespace gucc::locale
+
+#endif  // LOCALE_HPP
diff --git a/gucc/meson.build b/gucc/meson.build
index bd64dbb..1b57b0b 100644
--- a/gucc/meson.build
+++ b/gucc/meson.build
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ gucc_lib = library('gucc',
         'src/zfs.cpp',
         'src/btrfs.cpp',
         'src/user.cpp',
+        'src/locale.cpp',
     ],
     include_directories : [include_directories('include')],
     dependencies: deps
diff --git a/gucc/src/locale.cpp b/gucc/src/locale.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..718bf65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gucc/src/locale.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#include "gucc/locale.hpp"
+#include "gucc/io_utils.hpp"
+#include "gucc/string_utils.hpp"
+
+#include <fstream>  // for ofstream
+
+#include <fmt/compile.h>
+#include <fmt/format.h>
+
+#include <spdlog/spdlog.h>
+
+using namespace std::string_view_literals;
+
+namespace gucc::locale {
+
+auto set_locale(std::string_view locale, std::string_view mountpoint) noexcept -> bool {
+    const auto& locale_config_path = fmt::format(FMT_COMPILE("{}/etc/locale.conf"), mountpoint);
+    const auto& locale_gen_path    = fmt::format(FMT_COMPILE("{}/etc/locale.gen"), mountpoint);
+
+    static constexpr auto LOCALE_CONFIG_PART = R"(LANG="{0}"
+LC_NUMERIC="{0}"
+LC_TIME="{0}"
+LC_MONETARY="{0}"
+LC_PAPER="{0}"
+LC_NAME="{0}"
+LC_ADDRESS="{0}"
+LC_TELEPHONE="{0}"
+LC_MEASUREMENT="{0}"
+LC_IDENTIFICATION="{0}"
+LC_MESSAGES="{0}"
+)";
+
+    {
+        const auto& locale_config_text = fmt::format(LOCALE_CONFIG_PART, locale);
+        std::ofstream locale_config_file{locale_config_path, std::ios::out | std::ios::trunc};
+        if (!locale_config_file.is_open()) {
+            spdlog::error("Failed to open locale config for writing {}", locale_config_path);
+            return false;
+        }
+        locale_config_file << locale_config_text;
+    }
+
+    // TODO(vnepogodin): refactor and make backups of locale config and locale gen
+    utils::exec(fmt::format(FMT_COMPILE("sed -i \"s/#{0}/{0}/\" {1}"), locale, locale_gen_path));
+
+    // Generate locales
+    if (!utils::arch_chroot_checked("locale-gen", mountpoint)) {
+        spdlog::error("Failed to run locale-gen with locale '{}'", locale);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // NOTE: maybe we should also write into /etc/default/locale if /etc/default exists and is a dir?
+    return true;
+}
+
+}  // namespace gucc::locale
diff --git a/src/utils.cpp b/src/utils.cpp
index a5e2fbd..b3205e0 100644
--- a/src/utils.cpp
+++ b/src/utils.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "gucc/file_utils.hpp"
 #include "gucc/initcpio.hpp"
 #include "gucc/io_utils.hpp"
+#include "gucc/locale.hpp"
 #include "gucc/luks.hpp"
 #include "gucc/pacmanconf_repo.hpp"
 #include "gucc/string_utils.hpp"
@@ -388,31 +389,13 @@ void set_hostname(const std::string_view& hostname) noexcept {
 void set_locale(const std::string_view& locale) noexcept {
     spdlog::info("Selected locale: {}", locale);
 #ifdef NDEVENV
-    auto* config_instance          = Config::instance();
-    auto& config_data              = config_instance->data();
-    const auto& mountpoint         = std::get<std::string>(config_data["MOUNTPOINT"]);
-    const auto& locale_config_path = fmt::format(FMT_COMPILE("{}/etc/locale.conf"), mountpoint);
-    const auto& locale_gen_path    = fmt::format(FMT_COMPILE("{}/etc/locale.gen"), mountpoint);
+    auto* config_instance  = Config::instance();
+    auto& config_data      = config_instance->data();
+    const auto& mountpoint = std::get<std::string>(config_data["MOUNTPOINT"]);
 
-    static constexpr auto locale_config_part = R"(LANG="{0}"
-LC_NUMERIC="{0}"
-LC_TIME="{0}"
-LC_MONETARY="{0}"
-LC_PAPER="{0}"
-LC_NAME="{0}"
-LC_ADDRESS="{0}"
-LC_TELEPHONE="{0}"
-LC_MEASUREMENT="{0}"
-LC_IDENTIFICATION="{0}"
-LC_MESSAGES="{0}")";
-
-    std::ofstream locale_config_file{locale_config_path};
-    locale_config_file << fmt::format(locale_config_part, locale);
-
-    gucc::utils::exec(fmt::format(FMT_COMPILE("sed -i \"s/#{0}/{0}/\" {1}"), locale, locale_gen_path));
-
-    // Generate locales
-    utils::arch_chroot("locale-gen", false);
+    if (!gucc::locale::set_locale(locale, mountpoint)) {
+        spdlog::error("Failed to set locale");
+    }
 #endif
 }