diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__locale_system/manifest b/cdist/conf/type/__locale_system/manifest
index 4a1fdeed..e4286ef6 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__locale_system/manifest
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__locale_system/manifest
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # 2012-2016 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
 # 2016 Carlos Ortigoza (carlos.ortigoza at ungleich.ch)
 # 2016 Nico Schottelius (nico.schottelius at ungleich.ch)
+# 2020 Dennis Camera (dennis.camera at ssrq-sds-fds.ch)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -23,17 +24,151 @@
 # Configure system-wide locale by modifying i18n file.
 #
 
+key=$__object_id
+onchange_cmd=  # none, by default
+quote_value=false
+
+catval() {
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2059
+    printf "$($quote_value && echo '"%s"' || echo '%s')" "$(cat "$1")"
+}
+
+state_should=$(cat "${__object}/parameter/state")
+
 os=$(cat "$__global/explorer/os")
 
-case "$os" in
-    debian|devuan|ubuntu)
+case $os
+in
+    debian)
+        os_version=$(cat "${__global}/explorer/os_version")
+        if expr "${os_version}" '>=' 4 >/dev/null
+        then
+            # Debian 4 (etch) and later
+            locale_conf="/etc/default/locale"
+        else
+            locale_conf="/etc/environment"
+        fi
+        ;;
+    devuan)
         locale_conf="/etc/default/locale"
         ;;
+    ubuntu)
+        os_version=$(cat "${__global}/explorer/os_version")
+        if expr "${os_version}" '>=' 6.10 >/dev/null
+        then
+            # Ubuntu 6.10 (edgy) and later
+            locale_conf="/etc/default/locale"
+        else
+            locale_conf="/etc/environment"
+        fi
+        ;;
     archlinux)
         locale_conf="/etc/locale.conf"
         ;;
-    redhat|centos)
-        locale_conf="/etc/sysconfig/i18n"
+    centos|redhat|scientific)
+        # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+        version_id=$(. "${__global}/explorer/os_release" && echo "${VERSION_ID:-0}")
+        if expr "${version_id}" '>=' 7 >/dev/null
+        then
+            locale_conf="/etc/locale.conf"
+        else
+            locale_conf="/etc/sysconfig/i18n"
+        fi
+        ;;
+    fedora)
+        # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+        version_id=$(. "${__global}/explorer/os_release" && echo "${VERSION_ID:-0}")
+        if expr "${version_id}" '>=' 18 >/dev/null
+        then
+            locale_conf="/etc/locale.conf"
+            quote_value=false
+        else
+            locale_conf="/etc/sysconfig/i18n"
+        fi
+        ;;
+    gentoo)
+        case $(cat "${__global}/explorer/init")
+        in
+            (*openrc*)
+                locale_conf="/etc/env.d/02locale"
+                onchange_cmd="env-update --no-ldconfig"
+                quote_value=true
+                ;;
+            (systemd)
+                locale_conf="/etc/locale.conf"
+                ;;
+        esac
+        ;;
+    freebsd|netbsd)
+        # NetBSD doesn't have a separate configuration file to set locales.
+        # In FreeBSD locales could be configured via /etc/login.conf but parsing
+        # that would be annoying, so the shell login file will have to do.
+        # "Non-POSIX" shells like csh will not be updated here.
+
+        locale_conf="/etc/profile"
+        quote_value=true
+        value="$(catval "${__object}/parameter/value"); export ${key}"
+        ;;
+    solaris)
+        locale_conf="/etc/default/init"
+        locale_conf_group="sys"
+
+        if expr "$(cat "${__global}/explorer/os_version")" '>=' 5.11 >/dev/null
+        then
+            # mode on Oracle Solaris 11 is actually 0444,
+            # but the write bit makes sense, IMO
+            locale_conf_mode=0644
+
+            # Oracle Solaris 11.2 and later uses SMF to store environment info.
+            # This is a hack, but I didn't feel like modifying the whole type
+            # just for some Oracle nonsense.
+            # 11.3 apparently added nlsadm(1m), but it is missing from 11.2.
+            # Illumos continues to use /etc/default/init
+            # NOTE: Remember not to use "cool" POSIX features like -q or -e with
+            # Solaris grep.
+            release_regex='Oracle Solaris 11.[2-9][0-9]*'
+            case $state_should
+            in
+                (present)
+                    svccfg_cmd="svccfg -s svc:/system/environment:init setprop environment/${key} = astring: '$(cat "${__object}/parameter/value")'"
+                    ;;
+                (absent)
+                    svccfg_cmd="svccfg -s svc:/system/environment:init delprop environment/${key}"
+                    ;;
+            esac
+            refresh_cmd='svcadm refresh svc:/system/environment'
+            onchange_cmd="grep '${release_regex}' /etc/release >&- || exit 0; ${svccfg_cmd:-:} && ${refresh_cmd}"
+        else
+            locale_conf_mode=0555
+        fi
+        ;;
+    slackware)
+        # NOTE: lang.csh (csh config) is ignored here.
+        locale_conf="/etc/profile.d/lang.sh"
+        locale_conf_mode=0755
+        key="export ${__object_id}"
+        ;;
+    suse)
+        os_version=$(cat "${__global}/explorer/os_version")
+        os_major=$(expr "${os_version}" : '\([0-9]\{1,\}\)')
+
+        # https://documentation.suse.com/sles/15-SP2/html/SLES-all/cha-suse.html#sec-suse-l10n
+        if expr "${os_major}" '>=' 15 \& "${os_major}" != 42
+        then
+            # It seems that starting with SuSE 15 the systemd /etc/locale.conf
+            # is the preferred way to set locales, although
+            # /etc/sysconfig/language is still available.
+            # Older documentation doesn't mention /etc/locale.conf, even though
+            # is it created when localectl is used.
+            locale_conf="/etc/locale.conf"
+        else
+            locale_conf="/etc/sysconfig/language"
+            quote_value=true
+            key="RC_${__object_id}"
+        fi
+        ;;
+    voidlinux)
+        locale_conf="/etc/locale.conf"
         ;;
     *)
         echo "Your operating system ($os) is currently not supported by this type (${__type##*/})." >&2
@@ -42,14 +177,16 @@ case "$os" in
         ;;
 esac
 
-__file "$locale_conf" \
-       --owner root --group root --mode 644 \
-       --state exists
+__file "${locale_conf}" --state exists \
+    --owner "${locale_conf_owner:-0}" \
+    --group "${locale_conf_group:-0}" \
+    --mode "${locale_conf_mode:-0644}"
 
-require="__file/$locale_conf" \
-       __key_value "$locale_conf:$__object_id" \
-       --file "$locale_conf" \
-       --key "$__object_id" \
-       --delimiter = \
-       --state "$(cat "$__object/parameter/state")" \
-       --value "$(cat "$__object/parameter/value")"
+require="__file/${locale_conf}" \
+__key_value "${locale_conf}:${key#export }" \
+    --file "${locale_conf}" \
+    --key "${key}" \
+    --delimiter '=' --exact_delimiter \
+    --state "${state_should}" \
+    --value "${value:-$(catval "${__object}/parameter/value")}" \
+    --onchange "${onchange_cmd}"