diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ce1c08a6f6..04c29b1c71 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -695,8 +695,7 @@ LOCALE_NOPURGE = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE_WHITELIST))
 # in the whitelist file. If it doesn't, kill it.
 # Finally, specifically for X11, regenerate locale.dir from the whitelist.
 define PURGE_LOCALES
-	rm -f $(LOCALE_WHITELIST)
-	for i in $(LOCALE_NOPURGE) locale-archive; do echo $$i >> $(LOCALE_WHITELIST); done
+	printf '%s\n' $(LOCALE_NOPURGE) locale-archive > $(LOCALE_WHITELIST)
 
 	for dir in $(addprefix $(TARGET_DIR),/usr/share/locale /usr/share/X11/locale /usr/lib/locale); \
 	do \