diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 143ed7be4e..3d8b5f713d 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Sat Dec 13 16:04:48 2008  Yuki Sonoda (Yugui)  <yugui@yugui.jp>
+
+	* encoding.c (default_external): endless recursion during
+	  loading a locale encoding on some locale.
+	  fixed by Nobuyuki Nakada.
+
 Sat Dec 13 15:55:37 2008  TAKAO Kouji  <kouji@takao7.net>
 
 	* ruby.c (process_options): fixed default_internal is nil.
diff --git a/encoding.c b/encoding.c
index f802850f3b..eca4140a02 100644
--- a/encoding.c
+++ b/encoding.c
@@ -1066,7 +1066,7 @@ enc_set_default_encoding(struct default_encoding *def, VALUE encoding,
     return overridden;
 }
 
-static struct default_encoding default_external = {-2};
+static struct default_encoding default_external = {0};
 
 rb_encoding *
 rb_default_external_encoding(void)