diff --git a/code/nel/include/nel/misc/i_xml.h b/code/nel/include/nel/misc/i_xml.h
index a9452e341..cf2527e21 100644
--- a/code/nel/include/nel/misc/i_xml.h
+++ b/code/nel/include/nel/misc/i_xml.h
@@ -232,6 +232,9 @@ private:
 
 	// If not NULL, binary mode detected, use this stream in serials
 	IStream			*_BinaryStream;
+
+	// System dependant structure for locale
+	void*			_Locale;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp b/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp
index d8925ddef..3b7f0f9e2 100644
--- a/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp
+++ b/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@
 // Include from libxml2
 #include <libxml/xmlerror.h>
 
+#if defined(NL_OS_WINDOWS) && defined(NL_COMP_VC_VERSION) && NL_COMP_VC_VERSION >= 80
+#define USE_LOCALE_ATOF
+#include <locale.h>
+#endif
+
 using namespace std;
 
 #define NLMISC_READ_BUFFER_SIZE 1024
@@ -46,6 +51,22 @@ const char SEPARATOR = ' ';
 	serialSeparatedBufferIn( number_as_string ); \
 	dest = (thetype)convfunc( number_as_string.c_str() );
 
+#ifdef USE_LOCALE_ATOF
+
+#define readnumberlocale(dest,thetype,digits,convfunc) \
+	string number_as_string; \
+	serialSeparatedBufferIn( number_as_string ); \
+	dest = (thetype)convfunc( number_as_string.c_str(), (_locale_t)_Locale );
+
+#define nl_atof _atof_l
+
+#else
+
+#define readnumberlocale(dest,thetype,digits,convfunc) readnumber(dest,thetype,digits,convfunc)
+#define nl_atof atof
+
+#endif
+
 // ***************************************************************************
 
 inline void CIXml::flushContentString ()
@@ -70,6 +91,13 @@ CIXml::CIXml () : IStream (true /* Input mode */)
 	_ErrorString = "";
 	_TryBinaryMode = false;
 	_BinaryStream = NULL;
+
+#ifdef USE_LOCALE_ATOF
+	// create C numeric locale
+	_Locale = _create_locale(LC_NUMERIC, "C");
+#else
+	_Locale = NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 // ***************************************************************************
@@ -85,6 +113,13 @@ CIXml::CIXml (bool tryBinaryMode) : IStream (true /* Input mode */)
 	_ErrorString = "";
 	_TryBinaryMode = tryBinaryMode;
 	_BinaryStream = NULL;
+
+#ifdef USE_LOCALE_ATOF
+	// create C numeric locale
+	_Locale = _create_locale(LC_NUMERIC, "C");
+#else
+	_Locale = NULL;
+#endif
 }
 
 // ***************************************************************************
@@ -119,6 +154,10 @@ void CIXml::release ()
 	_ErrorString = "";
 
 	resetPtrTable();
+
+#ifdef USE_LOCALE_ATOF
+	if (_Locale) _free_locale((_locale_t)_Locale);
+#endif
 }
 
 // ***************************************************************************
@@ -546,7 +585,7 @@ void CIXml::serial(float &b)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		readnumber( b, float, 128, atof );
+		readnumberlocale( b, float, 128, nl_atof );
 	}
 }
 
@@ -560,7 +599,7 @@ void CIXml::serial(double &b)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		readnumber( b, double, 128, atof );
+		readnumberlocale( b, double, 128, nl_atof );
 	}
 }