diff --git a/bin/license.js b/bin/license.js
index 4083ddc69..89d0d8790 100644
--- a/bin/license.js
+++ b/bin/license.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ a.loadVirtual().then(tree => {
       set.push([tree.inventory.query('license', license).size, license])
 
     for (const [count, license] of set.sort((a, b) =>
-      a[1] && b[1] ? b[0] - a[0] || a[1].localeCompare(b[1])
+      a[1] && b[1] ? b[0] - a[0] || a[1].localeCompare(b[1], 'en')
       : a[1] ? -1
       : b[1] ? 1
       : 0))
diff --git a/lib/add-rm-pkg-deps.js b/lib/add-rm-pkg-deps.js
index 25113cbed..f78a43319 100644
--- a/lib/add-rm-pkg-deps.js
+++ b/lib/add-rm-pkg-deps.js
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ const addSingle = ({pkg, spec, saveBundle, saveType, log}) => {
     // keep it sorted, keep it unique
     const bd = new Set(pkg.bundleDependencies || [])
     bd.add(spec.name)
-    pkg.bundleDependencies = [...bd].sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
+    pkg.bundleDependencies = [...bd].sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js b/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
index 6176707c3..ade9bbf1a 100644
--- a/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
+++ b/lib/arborist/build-ideal-tree.js
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
     // sort physically shallower deps up to the front of the queue,
     // because they'll affect things deeper in, then alphabetical
     this[_depsQueue].sort((a, b) =>
-      (a.depth - b.depth) || a.path.localeCompare(b.path))
+      (a.depth - b.depth) || a.path.localeCompare(b.path, 'en'))
 
     const node = this[_depsQueue].shift()
     const bd = node.package.bundleDependencies
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
     }
 
     const placed = tasks
-      .sort((a, b) => a.edge.name.localeCompare(b.edge.name))
+      .sort((a, b) => a.edge.name.localeCompare(b.edge.name, 'en'))
       .map(({ edge, dep }) => this[_placeDep](dep, node, edge))
 
     const promises = []
@@ -1147,7 +1147,7 @@ This is a one-time fix-up, please be patient...
       // we typically only install non-optional peers, but we have to
       // factor them into the peerSet so that we can avoid conflicts
       .filter(e => e.peer && !(e.valid && e.to))
-      .sort(({name: a}, {name: b}) => a.localeCompare(b))
+      .sort(({name: a}, {name: b}) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
 
     for (const edge of peerEdges) {
       // already placed this one, and we're happy with it.
diff --git a/lib/arborist/load-virtual.js b/lib/arborist/load-virtual.js
index 2a222249d..a98ed23b2 100644
--- a/lib/arborist/load-virtual.js
+++ b/lib/arborist/load-virtual.js
@@ -159,12 +159,12 @@ module.exports = cls => class VirtualLoader extends cls {
       ...depsToEdges('peerOptional', peerOptional),
       ...lockWS,
     ].sort(([atype, aname], [btype, bname]) =>
-      atype.localeCompare(btype) || aname.localeCompare(bname))
+      atype.localeCompare(btype, 'en') || aname.localeCompare(bname, 'en'))
 
     const rootEdges = [...root.edgesOut.values()]
       .map(e => [e.type, e.name, e.spec])
       .sort(([atype, aname], [btype, bname]) =>
-        atype.localeCompare(btype) || aname.localeCompare(bname))
+        atype.localeCompare(btype, 'en') || aname.localeCompare(bname, 'en'))
 
     if (rootEdges.length !== lockEdges.length) {
       // something added or removed
diff --git a/lib/arborist/rebuild.js b/lib/arborist/rebuild.js
index 390d3ce42..7cba1da00 100644
--- a/lib/arborist/rebuild.js
+++ b/lib/arborist/rebuild.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const {
 } = require('@npmcli/node-gyp')
 
 const boolEnv = b => b ? '1' : ''
-const sortNodes = (a, b) => (a.depth - b.depth) || a.path.localeCompare(b.path)
+const sortNodes = (a, b) => (a.depth - b.depth) || a.path.localeCompare(b.path, 'en')
 
 const _build = Symbol('build')
 const _resetQueues = Symbol('resetQueues')
diff --git a/lib/audit-report.js b/lib/audit-report.js
index 9a0178c59..76387cde1 100644
--- a/lib/audit-report.js
+++ b/lib/audit-report.js
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class AuditReport extends Map {
     }
 
     obj.vulnerabilities = vulnerabilities
-      .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b))
+      .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
       .reduce((set, [name, vuln]) => {
         set[name] = vuln
         return set
diff --git a/lib/printable.js b/lib/printable.js
index e611f55a4..ce764071d 100644
--- a/lib/printable.js
+++ b/lib/printable.js
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ class ArboristNode {
     // edgesOut sorted by name
     if (tree.edgesOut.size) {
       this.edgesOut = new Map([...tree.edgesOut.entries()]
-        .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b))
+        .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
         .map(([name, edge]) => [name, new EdgeOut(edge)]))
     }
 
     // edgesIn sorted by location
     if (tree.edgesIn.size) {
       this.edgesIn = new Set([...tree.edgesIn]
-        .sort((a, b) => a.from.location.localeCompare(b.from.location))
+        .sort((a, b) => a.from.location.localeCompare(b.from.location, 'en'))
         .map(edge => new EdgeIn(edge)))
     }
 
@@ -65,14 +65,14 @@ class ArboristNode {
     // fsChildren sorted by path
     if (tree.fsChildren.size) {
       this.fsChildren = new Set([...tree.fsChildren]
-        .sort(({path: a}, {path: b}) => a.localeCompare(b))
+        .sort(({path: a}, {path: b}) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
         .map(tree => printableTree(tree, path)))
     }
 
     // children sorted by name
     if (tree.children.size) {
       this.children = new Map([...tree.children.entries()]
-        .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b))
+        .sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
         .map(([name, tree]) => [name, printableTree(tree, path)]))
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/shrinkwrap.js b/lib/shrinkwrap.js
index d9065ffa0..cff9f0963 100644
--- a/lib/shrinkwrap.js
+++ b/lib/shrinkwrap.js
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ class Shrinkwrap {
       /* istanbul ignore next - sort calling order is indeterminate */
       return aloc.length > bloc.length ? 1
         : bloc.length > aloc.length ? -1
-        : aloc[aloc.length - 1].localeCompare(bloc[bloc.length - 1])
+        : aloc[aloc.length - 1].localeCompare(bloc[bloc.length - 1], 'en')
     })[0]
 
     const res = consistentResolve(node.resolved, this.path, this.path, true)
diff --git a/lib/update-root-package-json.js b/lib/update-root-package-json.js
index 4a88707b9..57ec41424 100644
--- a/lib/update-root-package-json.js
+++ b/lib/update-root-package-json.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const orderDeps = (pkg) => {
   for (const type of depTypes) {
     if (pkg && pkg[type]) {
       pkg[type] = Object.keys(pkg[type])
-        .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
+        .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
         .reduce((res, key) => {
           res[key] = pkg[type][key]
           return res
diff --git a/lib/vuln.js b/lib/vuln.js
index 2561bc806..5b1d1dc1a 100644
--- a/lib/vuln.js
+++ b/lib/vuln.js
@@ -106,12 +106,12 @@ class Vuln {
         vulnerableVersions: undefined,
         id: undefined,
       }).sort((a, b) =>
-        String(a.source || a).localeCompare(String(b.source || b))),
+        String(a.source || a).localeCompare(String(b.source || b, 'en'))),
       effects: [...this.effects].map(v => v.name)
-        .sort(/* istanbul ignore next */(a, b) => a.localeCompare(b)),
+        .sort(/* istanbul ignore next */(a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en')),
       range: this.simpleRange,
       nodes: [...this.nodes].map(n => n.location)
-        .sort(/* istanbul ignore next */(a, b) => a.localeCompare(b)),
+        .sort(/* istanbul ignore next */(a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en')),
       fixAvailable: this[_fixAvailable],
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/yarn-lock.js b/lib/yarn-lock.js
index 14c7691f1..e237cc5c6 100644
--- a/lib/yarn-lock.js
+++ b/lib/yarn-lock.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const {breadth} = require('treeverse')
 
 // sort a key/value object into a string of JSON stringified keys and vals
 const sortKV = obj => Object.keys(obj)
-  .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
+  .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
   .map(k => `    ${JSON.stringify(k)} ${JSON.stringify(obj[k])}`)
   .join('\n')
 
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ class YarnLock {
   toString () {
     return prefix + [...new Set([...this.entries.values()])]
       .map(e => e.toString())
-      .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b)).join('\n\n') + '\n'
+      .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en')).join('\n\n') + '\n'
   }
 
   fromTree (tree) {
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class YarnLock {
       tree,
       visit: node => this.addEntryFromNode(node),
       getChildren: node => [...node.children.values(), ...node.fsChildren]
-        .sort((a, b) => a.depth - b.depth || a.name.localeCompare(b.name)),
+        .sort((a, b) => a.depth - b.depth || a.name.localeCompare(b.name, 'en')),
     })
     return this
   }
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class YarnLock {
   addEntryFromNode (node) {
     const specs = [...node.edgesIn]
       .map(e => `${node.name}@${e.spec}`)
-      .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
+      .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
 
     // Note:
     // yarn will do excessive duplication in a case like this:
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ class YarnLockEntry {
   toString () {
     // sort objects to the bottom, then alphabetical
     return ([...this[_specs]]
-      .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
+      .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
       .map(JSON.stringify).join(', ') +
       ':\n' +
       Object.getOwnPropertyNames(this)
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ class YarnLockEntry {
           (a, b) =>
           /* istanbul ignore next - sort call order is unpredictable */
             (typeof this[a] === 'object') === (typeof this[b] === 'object')
-              ? a.localeCompare(b)
+              ? a.localeCompare(b, 'en')
               : typeof this[a] === 'object' ? 1 : -1)
         .map(prop =>
           typeof this[prop] !== 'object'
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 18b74b5d8..403253ac2 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
         "cacache": "^15.0.3",
         "common-ancestor-path": "^1.0.1",
         "json-parse-even-better-errors": "^2.3.1",
-        "json-stringify-nice": "^1.1.2",
+        "json-stringify-nice": "^1.1.4",
         "mkdirp-infer-owner": "^2.0.0",
         "npm-install-checks": "^4.0.0",
         "npm-package-arg": "^8.1.0",
@@ -49,9 +49,8 @@
         "eslint-plugin-promise": "^4.2.1",
         "eslint-plugin-standard": "^4.0.1",
         "minify-registry-metadata": "^2.1.0",
-        "mutate-fs": "^2.1.1",
         "tap": "^15.0.9",
-        "tcompare": "^3.0.4"
+        "tcompare": "^5.0.6"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@babel/code-frame": {
@@ -1506,18 +1505,6 @@
         "node": ">=0.3.1"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/diff-frag": {
-      "version": "1.1.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/diff-frag/-/diff-frag-1.1.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-y0YLhUGviNXaypPimkzmOCaZf8ruocRb+dpOL/lfoicxBua2gkExddlbWxIP56Z5BpSg4gL5sAWhBN2iQm4HVQ==",
-      "dev": true,
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=10"
-      },
-      "funding": {
-        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/isaacs"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/doctrine": {
       "version": "3.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/doctrine/-/doctrine-3.0.0.tgz",
@@ -3166,9 +3153,9 @@
       "dev": true
     },
     "node_modules/json-stringify-nice": {
-      "version": "1.1.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/json-stringify-nice/-/json-stringify-nice-1.1.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-w8+cZZFgcPtFkZTmkA1UpRH0GXXfpeuc/cClNkQjLt9JoQd8cBFSyB8J1WWjJrthIYViHobwnh3jA4z5X2LdGA==",
+      "version": "1.1.4",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/json-stringify-nice/-/json-stringify-nice-1.1.4.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-5Z5RFW63yxReJ7vANgW6eZFGWaQvnPE3WNmZoOJrSkGju2etKA2L5rrOa1sm877TVTFt57A80BH1bArcmlLfPw==",
       "funding": {
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/isaacs"
       }
@@ -3275,18 +3262,6 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/isaacs"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/libtap/node_modules/tcompare": {
-      "version": "5.0.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-5.0.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-worXBcrmLoFu9oJYAKznjPE89APTEXk/XCazuDuSQfK1EqX3bpLPW3cY/RQucbcc7mW+yKW0duujsuFlU7dRCA==",
-      "dev": true,
-      "dependencies": {
-        "diff": "^4.0.2"
-      },
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=10"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/load-json-file": {
       "version": "2.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/load-json-file/-/load-json-file-2.0.0.tgz",
@@ -3589,12 +3564,6 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ms/-/ms-2.1.2.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-sGkPx+VjMtmA6MX27oA4FBFELFCZZ4S4XqeGOXCv68tT+jb3vk/RyaKWP0PTKyWtmLSM0b+adUTEvbs1PEaH2w=="
     },
-    "node_modules/mutate-fs": {
-      "version": "2.1.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mutate-fs/-/mutate-fs-2.1.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-WI5pPPUNiWqaK2XdK94AVpxIc8GmZEXYlLfFbWuc4gUtBGHTK92jdPqFdx/lilxgb5Ep7tQ15NqCcJEOeq6wdA==",
-      "dev": true
-    },
     "node_modules/natural-compare": {
       "version": "1.4.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/natural-compare/-/natural-compare-1.4.0.tgz",
@@ -6701,18 +6670,6 @@
         "yaml": "^1.5.0"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/tap/node_modules/tcompare": {
-      "version": "5.0.6",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-5.0.6.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-OvO7omN/wkdsKzmOqr3sQFfLbghs/2X5mwSkcfgRiXZshfPnTsAs3IRf1RixR/Pff26qG/r9ogcZMpV0YdeGXg==",
-      "dev": true,
-      "dependencies": {
-        "diff": "^4.0.2"
-      },
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=10"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/tap/node_modules/to-fast-properties": {
       "version": "2.0.0",
       "dev": true,
@@ -6981,12 +6938,15 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/tcompare": {
-      "version": "3.0.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-3.0.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-+tmloQj1buaShBX+LP1i1NF5riJm110Yr0flIJAEoKf01tFVoMZvW2jq1JLqaW8fspOUVPm5NKKW5qLwT0ETDQ==",
+      "version": "5.0.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-5.0.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-OvO7omN/wkdsKzmOqr3sQFfLbghs/2X5mwSkcfgRiXZshfPnTsAs3IRf1RixR/Pff26qG/r9ogcZMpV0YdeGXg==",
       "dev": true,
       "dependencies": {
-        "diff-frag": "^1.0.1"
+        "diff": "^4.0.2"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=10"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/test-exclude": {
@@ -8716,12 +8676,6 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-58lmxKSA4BNyLz+HHMUzlOEpg09FV+ev6ZMe3vJihgdxzgcwZ8VoEEPmALCZG9LmqfVoNMMKpttIYTVG6uDY7A==",
       "dev": true
     },
-    "diff-frag": {
-      "version": "1.1.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/diff-frag/-/diff-frag-1.1.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-y0YLhUGviNXaypPimkzmOCaZf8ruocRb+dpOL/lfoicxBua2gkExddlbWxIP56Z5BpSg4gL5sAWhBN2iQm4HVQ==",
-      "dev": true
-    },
     "doctrine": {
       "version": "3.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/doctrine/-/doctrine-3.0.0.tgz",
@@ -9974,9 +9928,9 @@
       "dev": true
     },
     "json-stringify-nice": {
-      "version": "1.1.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/json-stringify-nice/-/json-stringify-nice-1.1.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-w8+cZZFgcPtFkZTmkA1UpRH0GXXfpeuc/cClNkQjLt9JoQd8cBFSyB8J1WWjJrthIYViHobwnh3jA4z5X2LdGA=="
+      "version": "1.1.4",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/json-stringify-nice/-/json-stringify-nice-1.1.4.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-5Z5RFW63yxReJ7vANgW6eZFGWaQvnPE3WNmZoOJrSkGju2etKA2L5rrOa1sm877TVTFt57A80BH1bArcmlLfPw=="
     },
     "json-stringify-safe": {
       "version": "5.0.1",
@@ -10054,17 +10008,6 @@
         "tcompare": "^5.0.1",
         "trivial-deferred": "^1.0.1",
         "yapool": "^1.0.0"
-      },
-      "dependencies": {
-        "tcompare": {
-          "version": "5.0.4",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-5.0.4.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-worXBcrmLoFu9oJYAKznjPE89APTEXk/XCazuDuSQfK1EqX3bpLPW3cY/RQucbcc7mW+yKW0duujsuFlU7dRCA==",
-          "dev": true,
-          "requires": {
-            "diff": "^4.0.2"
-          }
-        }
       }
     },
     "load-json-file": {
@@ -10303,12 +10246,6 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ms/-/ms-2.1.2.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-sGkPx+VjMtmA6MX27oA4FBFELFCZZ4S4XqeGOXCv68tT+jb3vk/RyaKWP0PTKyWtmLSM0b+adUTEvbs1PEaH2w=="
     },
-    "mutate-fs": {
-      "version": "2.1.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mutate-fs/-/mutate-fs-2.1.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-WI5pPPUNiWqaK2XdK94AVpxIc8GmZEXYlLfFbWuc4gUtBGHTK92jdPqFdx/lilxgb5Ep7tQ15NqCcJEOeq6wdA==",
-      "dev": true
-    },
     "natural-compare": {
       "version": "1.4.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/natural-compare/-/natural-compare-1.4.0.tgz",
@@ -12550,15 +12487,6 @@
             "yaml": "^1.5.0"
           }
         },
-        "tcompare": {
-          "version": "5.0.6",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-5.0.6.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-OvO7omN/wkdsKzmOqr3sQFfLbghs/2X5mwSkcfgRiXZshfPnTsAs3IRf1RixR/Pff26qG/r9ogcZMpV0YdeGXg==",
-          "dev": true,
-          "requires": {
-            "diff": "^4.0.2"
-          }
-        },
         "to-fast-properties": {
           "version": "2.0.0",
           "bundled": true,
@@ -12782,12 +12710,12 @@
       }
     },
     "tcompare": {
-      "version": "3.0.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-3.0.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-+tmloQj1buaShBX+LP1i1NF5riJm110Yr0flIJAEoKf01tFVoMZvW2jq1JLqaW8fspOUVPm5NKKW5qLwT0ETDQ==",
+      "version": "5.0.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tcompare/-/tcompare-5.0.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-OvO7omN/wkdsKzmOqr3sQFfLbghs/2X5mwSkcfgRiXZshfPnTsAs3IRf1RixR/Pff26qG/r9ogcZMpV0YdeGXg==",
       "dev": true,
       "requires": {
-        "diff-frag": "^1.0.1"
+        "diff": "^4.0.2"
       }
     },
     "test-exclude": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9df6ea702..151d8004f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     "cacache": "^15.0.3",
     "common-ancestor-path": "^1.0.1",
     "json-parse-even-better-errors": "^2.3.1",
-    "json-stringify-nice": "^1.1.2",
+    "json-stringify-nice": "^1.1.4",
     "mkdirp-infer-owner": "^2.0.0",
     "npm-install-checks": "^4.0.0",
     "npm-package-arg": "^8.1.0",
@@ -40,9 +40,8 @@
     "eslint-plugin-promise": "^4.2.1",
     "eslint-plugin-standard": "^4.0.1",
     "minify-registry-metadata": "^2.1.0",
-    "mutate-fs": "^2.1.1",
     "tap": "^15.0.9",
-    "tcompare": "^3.0.4"
+    "tcompare": "^5.0.6"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "test": "npm run test-only --",
@@ -74,11 +73,13 @@
   "bin": {
     "arborist": "bin/index.js"
   },
+  "//": "sk test-env locale to catch locale-specific sorting",
   "tap": {
     "after": "test/fixtures/cleanup.js",
     "coverage-map": "map.js",
     "test-env": [
-      "NODE_OPTIONS=--no-warnings"
+      "NODE_OPTIONS=--no-warnings",
+      "LC_ALL=sk"
     ],
     "node-arg": [
       "--no-warnings",
diff --git a/test/arborist/rebuild.js b/test/arborist/rebuild.js
index ba75d8edb..beba11779 100644
--- a/test/arborist/rebuild.js
+++ b/test/arborist/rebuild.js
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ t.test('verify dep flags in script environments', async t => {
   // don't include path or env, because that's going to be platform-specific
   const saved = [...arb.scriptsRun]
     .sort(({path: patha, event: eventa}, {path: pathb, event: eventb}) =>
-      patha.localeCompare(pathb) || eventa.localeCompare(eventb))
+      patha.localeCompare(pathb, 'en') || eventa.localeCompare(eventb, 'en'))
     .map(({pkg, event, cmd, code, signal, stdout, stderr}) =>
       ({pkg, event, cmd, code, signal, stdout, stderr}))
   t.matchSnapshot(saved, 'saved script results')
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ t.test('verify dep flags in script environments', async t => {
     t.strictSame(flags, fs.readFileSync(file, 'utf8').split('\n'), pkg)
   }
   t.strictSame(checkLogs().sort((a, b) =>
-    a[2].localeCompare(b[2]) || (typeof a[4] === 'string' ? -1 : 1)), [
+    a[2].localeCompare(b[2], 'en') || (typeof a[4] === 'string' ? -1 : 1)), [
     ['info', 'run', 'devdep@1.0.0', 'postinstall', 'node_modules/devdep', 'node ../../env.js'],
     ['info', 'run', 'devdep@1.0.0', 'postinstall', {code: 0, signal: null}],
     ['info', 'run', 'devopt@1.0.0', 'postinstall', 'node_modules/devopt', 'node ../../env.js'],
diff --git a/test/arborist/reify.js b/test/arborist/reify.js
index 0fd20fd99..6f0af6e32 100644
--- a/test/arborist/reify.js
+++ b/test/arborist/reify.js
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ t.test('omit peer deps', t => {
     .then(() => {
       process.removeListener('time', onTime)
       process.removeListener('timeEnd', onTimeEnd)
-      finishedTimers.sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
+      finishedTimers.sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
       t.matchSnapshot(finishedTimers, 'finished timers')
       t.strictSame(timers, {}, 'should have no timers in progress now')
     })
diff --git a/test/audit-report.js b/test/audit-report.js
index 692c5c0eb..775552069 100644
--- a/test/audit-report.js
+++ b/test/audit-report.js
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ const newArb = (path, opts = {}) => new Arborist({path, registry, cache, ...opts
 
 const sortReport = report => {
   const entries = Object.entries(report.vulnerabilities)
-  const vulns = entries.sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b))
+  const vulns = entries.sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en'))
     .map(([name, vuln]) => [
       name,
       {
         ...vuln,
         via: (vuln.via || []).sort((a, b) =>
-          String(a.source || a).localeCompare(String(b.source || b))),
-        effects: (vuln.effects || []).sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b)),
+          String(a.source || a).localeCompare(String(b.source || b, 'en'))),
+        effects: (vuln.effects || []).sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en')),
       },
     ])
   report.vulnerabilities = vulns.reduce((set, [k, v]) => {
diff --git a/test/diff.js b/test/diff.js
index 7a82a3d97..37a27522e 100644
--- a/test/diff.js
+++ b/test/diff.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const formatDiff = obj =>
     removed: obj.removed.map(d => normalizePath(d.path)),
     children: [...obj.children]
       .map(formatDiff)
-      .sort((a, b) => path(a).localeCompare(path(b))),
+      .sort((a, b) => path(a).localeCompare(path(b, 'en'))),
   })
 
 t.formatSnapshot = obj => format(formatDiff(obj), { sort: false })
diff --git a/test/fixtures/index.js b/test/fixtures/index.js
index 529177179..e2965721f 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/index.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/index.js
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ const setup = () => {
       `### BEGIN IGNORED SYMLINKS ###
 ### this list is generated automatically, do not edit directly
 ### update it by running \`node test/fixtures/index.js\`
-${links.sort((a,b) => a.localeCompare(b)).join('\n')}
+${links.sort((a,b) => a.localeCompare(b, 'en')).join('\n')}
 ### END IGNORED SYMLINKS ###`)
     writeFileSync(gifile, gitignore)
   }
diff --git a/test/gather-dep-set.js b/test/gather-dep-set.js
index f22ab1d41..877e41900 100644
--- a/test/gather-dep-set.js
+++ b/test/gather-dep-set.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ const tree = new Node({
 const normalizePath = path => path.replace(/[A-Z]:/, '').replace(/\\/g, '/')
 
 const printSet = set => [...set]
-  .sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name))
+  .sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name, 'en'))
   .map(n => n.location)
 
 const cwd = normalizePath(process.cwd())
diff --git a/test/inventory.js b/test/inventory.js
index 638cd911d..8f985274c 100644
--- a/test/inventory.js
+++ b/test/inventory.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ t.test('basic operations', t => {
     i.get('y'),
   ], 'filter returns an iterable of all matching nodes')
 
-  t.same([...i.query('license')].sort((a, b) => String(a).localeCompare(String(b))),
+  t.same([...i.query('license')].sort((a, b) => String(a).localeCompare(String(b, 'en'))),
     ['ISC', 'MIT', undefined])
   t.same([...i.query('license', 'MIT')], [
     { location: 'x', name: 'x', package: { license: 'MIT', funding: 'foo' }},
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ t.test('basic operations', t => {
     { location: 'x', name: 'x', package: { license: 'MIT', funding: 'foo'}},
     { location: 'y', name: 'x', package: { license: 'ISC', funding: { url: 'foo' } }},
   ], 'can query by name')
-  t.same([...i.query('funding')].sort((a, b) => String(a).localeCompare(String(b))),
+  t.same([...i.query('funding')].sort((a, b) => String(a).localeCompare(String(b, 'en'))),
     ['bar', 'foo', undefined])
   t.same([...i.query('funding', 'foo')], [
     { location: 'x', name: 'x', package: { license: 'MIT', funding: 'foo' } },