diff --git a/javadoc/plugin.jelly b/javadoc/plugin.jelly
index 24fb0a1b..a2bbaf62 100644
--- a/javadoc/plugin.jelly
+++ b/javadoc/plugin.jelly
@@ -158,6 +158,10 @@
           <ant:path location="${maven.build.dest}"/>
         </ant:classpath>
       
+        <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.javadoc.locale') != null}">
+          <ant:setProperty name="locale" value="${maven.javadoc.locale}" />
+        </j:if>
+
         <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.javadoc.overview') != null}">
           <ant:setProperty name="overview" value="${maven.javadoc.overview}" />
         </j:if>
diff --git a/javadoc/plugin.properties b/javadoc/plugin.properties
index 8781f267..91569f28 100644
--- a/javadoc/plugin.properties
+++ b/javadoc/plugin.properties
@@ -23,3 +23,6 @@ maven.javadoc.useexternalfile = no
 maven.javadoc.windowtitle = ${pom.name} ${pom.currentVersion} API
 
 maven.docs.outputencoding = ISO-8859-1
+
+#specify an alternate locale
+#maven.javadoc.locale=en_US
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml b/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml
index f4e88c4d..bb34e536 100644
--- a/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml
+++ b/javadoc/xdocs/properties.xml
@@ -78,6 +78,16 @@ maven.javadoc.links=http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/, http://maven.apach
             </source>
           </td>
         </tr>
+        <tr>
+          <td>maven.javadoc.locale</td>
+          <td>Yes</td>
+          <td>
+            <p>
+            Locale to be used, e.g. en_US or en_US_WIN.
+            Works like the "-locale" option of the javadoc command.
+            </p>
+          </td>
+        </tr>
         <tr>
           <td><a name="maven.javadoc.mode.online">maven.javadoc.mode.online</a></td>
           <td>Yes</td>