diff --git a/player/client.c b/player/client.c
index 21c6807ad3..4a7307194a 100644
--- a/player/client.c
+++ b/player/client.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <errno.h>
-#include <locale.h>
 #include <math.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 
@@ -462,15 +461,18 @@ static void *core_thread(void *tag)
 {
     mpthread_set_name("mpv core");
 
+    mpv_handle *ctx = NULL;
     struct MPContext *mpctx = mp_create();
-    mpctx->autodetach = true;
-    mpv_handle *ctx = mp_new_client(mpctx->clients, "main");
-    if (ctx) {
-        ctx->owner = true;
-        ctx->fuzzy_initialized = true;
-        m_config_set_profile(mpctx->mconfig, "libmpv", 0);
-    } else {
-        mp_destroy(mpctx);
+    if (mpctx) {
+        mpctx->autodetach = true;
+        ctx = mp_new_client(mpctx->clients, "main");
+        if (ctx) {
+            ctx->owner = true;
+            ctx->fuzzy_initialized = true;
+            m_config_set_profile(mpctx->mconfig, "libmpv", 0);
+        } else {
+            mp_destroy(mpctx);
+        }
     }
 
     // Let mpv_create() return, and pass it the handle.
@@ -491,24 +493,8 @@ static void *core_thread(void *tag)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-// We mostly care about LC_NUMERIC, and how "." vs. "," is treated,
-// Other locale stuff might break too, but probably isn't too bad.
-static bool check_locale(void)
-{
-    char *name = setlocale(LC_NUMERIC, NULL);
-    return !name || strcmp(name, "C") == 0 || strcmp(name, "C.UTF-8") == 0;
-}
-
 mpv_handle *mpv_create(void)
 {
-    if (!check_locale()) {
-        // Normally, we never print anything (except if the "terminal" option
-        // is enabled), so this is an exception.
-        fprintf(stderr, "Non-C locale detected. This is not supported.\n"
-                        "Call 'setlocale(LC_NUMERIC, \"C\");' in your code.\n");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     char tag;
     pthread_t thread;
     if (pthread_create(&thread, NULL, core_thread, &tag) != 0)
diff --git a/player/main.c b/player/main.c
index 66ae538d4a..bb83accb7e 100644
--- a/player/main.c
+++ b/player/main.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
+#include <locale.h>
 
 #include "config.h"
 #include "mpv_talloc.h"
@@ -263,8 +264,24 @@ static void abort_playback_cb(void *ctx)
     mp_abort_playback_async(mpctx);
 }
 
+// We mostly care about LC_NUMERIC, and how "." vs. "," is treated,
+// Other locale stuff might break too, but probably isn't too bad.
+static bool check_locale(void)
+{
+    char *name = setlocale(LC_NUMERIC, NULL);
+    return !name || strcmp(name, "C") == 0 || strcmp(name, "C.UTF-8") == 0;
+}
+
 struct MPContext *mp_create(void)
 {
+    if (!check_locale()) {
+        // Normally, we never print anything (except if the "terminal" option
+        // is enabled), so this is an exception.
+        fprintf(stderr, "Non-C locale detected. This is not supported.\n"
+                        "Call 'setlocale(LC_NUMERIC, \"C\");' in your code.\n");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     char *enable_talloc = getenv("MPV_LEAK_REPORT");
     if (enable_talloc && strcmp(enable_talloc, "1") == 0)
         talloc_enable_leak_report();
@@ -441,6 +458,8 @@ int mp_initialize(struct MPContext *mpctx, char **options)
 int mpv_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     struct MPContext *mpctx = mp_create();
+    if (!mpctx)
+        return 1;
 
     char **options = argv && argv[0] ? argv + 1 : NULL; // skips program name
     int r = mp_initialize(mpctx, options);