diff --git a/src/export_odb/odb_util.cpp b/src/export_odb/odb_util.cpp
index 68ba884b..964cce61 100644
--- a/src/export_odb/odb_util.cpp
+++ b/src/export_odb/odb_util.cpp
@@ -29,9 +29,20 @@ std::ostream &operator<<(std::ostream &os, DimUm d)
     return os << std::fixed << std::setprecision(3) << std::fixed << d.dim;
 }
 
+static bool check_have_transliteration()
+{
+    auto ic = g_iconv_open("ascii//TRANSLIT", "utf-8");
+    const bool have_translit = ic != ((GIConv)-1);
+    if (!have_translit)
+        return false;
+    g_iconv_close(ic);
+    return true;
+}
+
 std::string utf8_to_ascii(const std::string &s)
 {
-    return Glib::convert_with_fallback(s, "ascii//TRANSLIT", "utf-8");
+    static bool have_translit = check_have_transliteration();
+    return Glib::convert_with_fallback(s, have_translit ? "ascii//TRANSLIT" : "ascii", "utf-8");
 }
 
 std::string make_legal_name(const std::string &n)