diff --git a/shell.nix b/shell.nix
index 3c37a979e..5185715fd 100644
--- a/shell.nix
+++ b/shell.nix
@@ -24,13 +24,12 @@ let
   override = oldAttrs: {
     nativeBuildInputs = oldAttrs.nativeBuildInputs ++ (with pkgs; [ postgresql cabal-install ]) ++ (with haskellPackages; [ stack yesod-bin ]);
     shellHook = ''
-      ${oldAttrs.shellHook}
       export PROMPT_INFO="${oldAttrs.name}"
 
       pgDir=$(mktemp -d)
       pgSockDir=$(mktemp -d)
       pgLogFile=$(mktemp)
-      pg_ctl init -D ''${pgDir}
+      initdb --no-locale -D ''${pgDir}
       pg_ctl start -D ''${pgDir} -l ''${pgLogFile} -w -o "-k ''${pgSockDir} -c listen_addresses=''' -c hba_file='${postgresHba}' -c unix_socket_permissions=0700"
       export PGHOST=''${pgSockDir} PGLOG=''${pgLogFile}
       psql -f ${postgresSchema} postgres
@@ -42,6 +41,8 @@ let
       }
 
       trap cleanup EXIT
+
+      ${oldAttrs.shellHook}
     '';
   };