diff --git a/gui/wxpython/core/gcmd.py b/gui/wxpython/core/gcmd.py
index 7db9392cf3c..0d6c53a4d5f 100644
--- a/gui/wxpython/core/gcmd.py
+++ b/gui/wxpython/core/gcmd.py
@@ -806,11 +806,7 @@ def GetDefaultEncoding(forceUTF8: bool = False) -> str:
 
     :return: system encoding (can be None)
     """
-    try:
-        # Python >= 3.11
-        enc = locale.getencoding()
-    except AttributeError:
-        enc = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+    enc = locale.getencoding()
     if forceUTF8 and (enc is None or enc == "UTF8"):
         return "UTF-8"
 
diff --git a/gui/wxpython/core/gconsole.py b/gui/wxpython/core/gconsole.py
index 26a46e8b54a..048af870544 100644
--- a/gui/wxpython/core/gconsole.py
+++ b/gui/wxpython/core/gconsole.py
@@ -410,11 +410,7 @@ def Redirect(self):
             sys.stdout = self.cmdStdOut
             sys.stderr = self.cmdStdErr
         else:
-            try:
-                # Python >= 3.11
-                enc = locale.getencoding()
-            except AttributeError:
-                enc = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+            enc = locale.getencoding()
             if enc:
                 # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4374455/how-to-set-sys-stdout-encoding-in-python-3
                 sys.stdout = codecs.getwriter(enc)(sys.__stdout__.detach())
diff --git a/gui/wxpython/gui_core/forms.py b/gui/wxpython/gui_core/forms.py
index b88b9fb04f0..9c45336aa3b 100644
--- a/gui/wxpython/gui_core/forms.py
+++ b/gui/wxpython/gui_core/forms.py
@@ -2430,11 +2430,7 @@ def __init__(self, parent, giface, task, id=wx.ID_ANY, frame=None, *args, **kwar
                         )
                         if p.get("value", "") and Path(p["value"]).is_file():
                             ifbb.Clear()
-                            try:
-                                # Python >= 3.11
-                                enc = locale.getencoding()
-                            except AttributeError:
-                                enc = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+                            enc = locale.getencoding()
                             with codecs.open(
                                 p["value"], encoding=enc, errors="ignore"
                             ) as f:
@@ -2991,11 +2987,7 @@ def OnFileSave(self, event):
 
         if dlg.ShowModal() == wx.ID_OK:
             path = dlg.GetPath()
-            try:
-                # Python >= 3.11
-                enc = locale.getencoding()
-            except AttributeError:
-                enc = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+            enc = locale.getencoding()
 
             with codecs.open(path, encoding=enc, mode="w", errors="replace") as f:
                 f.write(text + os.linesep)
@@ -3017,11 +3009,7 @@ def OnFileText(self, event):
                 filename = grass.tempfile()
                 win.SetValue(filename)
 
-            try:
-                # Python >= 3.11
-                enc = locale.getencoding()
-            except AttributeError:
-                enc = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+            enc = locale.getencoding()
 
             with codecs.open(filename, encoding=enc, mode="w", errors="replace") as f:
                 f.write(text)
diff --git a/gui/wxpython/gui_core/ghelp.py b/gui/wxpython/gui_core/ghelp.py
index 6ab7e000909..2e5f516d300 100644
--- a/gui/wxpython/gui_core/ghelp.py
+++ b/gui/wxpython/gui_core/ghelp.py
@@ -254,11 +254,7 @@ def _pageInfo(self):
         if not self.langUsed:
             import locale
 
-            try:
-                # Python >= 3.11
-                loc = locale.getlocale()
-            except AttributeError:
-                loc = locale.getdefaultlocale()
+            loc = locale.getlocale()
             if loc == (None, None):
                 self.langUsed = _("unknown")
             else:
diff --git a/gui/wxpython/rlisetup/frame.py b/gui/wxpython/rlisetup/frame.py
index e8b5cfc2cbe..29368ad8693 100644
--- a/gui/wxpython/rlisetup/frame.py
+++ b/gui/wxpython/rlisetup/frame.py
@@ -57,11 +57,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.btn_close.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.OnClose)
         self.btn_ok.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.OnOk)
         self._layout()
-        try:
-            # Python >= 3.11
-            self.enc = locale.getencoding()
-        except AttributeError:
-            self.enc = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+        self.enc = locale.getencoding()
 
     def _layout(self):
         """Set the layout"""
diff --git a/lib/init/grass.py b/lib/init/grass.py
index 21605f0268c..caea0b32f11 100755
--- a/lib/init/grass.py
+++ b/lib/init/grass.py
@@ -72,11 +72,7 @@
 
 GISBASE = None
 
-try:
-    # Python >= 3.11
-    ENCODING = locale.getencoding()
-except AttributeError:
-    ENCODING = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+ENCODING = locale.getencoding()
 if ENCODING is None:
     ENCODING = "UTF-8"
     print("Default locale not found, using UTF-8")  # intentionally not translatable
@@ -1097,11 +1093,7 @@ def set_language(grass_config_dir: StrPath) -> None:
                 "Default locale settings are missing. GRASS running with C locale.\n"
             )
 
-        try:
-            # Python >= 3.11
-            language, encoding = locale.getlocale()
-        except AttributeError:
-            language, encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()
+        language, encoding = locale.getlocale()
         if not language:
             sys.stderr.write(
                 "Default locale settings are missing. GRASS running with C locale.\n"
diff --git a/python/grass/gunittest/multirunner.py b/python/grass/gunittest/multirunner.py
index 9bd6ed538ae..f6902abbe64 100644
--- a/python/grass/gunittest/multirunner.py
+++ b/python/grass/gunittest/multirunner.py
@@ -17,11 +17,7 @@
 
 
 def _get_encoding():
-    try:
-        # Python >= 3.11
-        encoding = locale.getencoding()
-    except AttributeError:
-        encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+    encoding = locale.getencoding()
     if not encoding:
         encoding = "UTF-8"
     return encoding
diff --git a/python/grass/script/utils.py b/python/grass/script/utils.py
index 86cfb8108bc..f2538ce7df9 100644
--- a/python/grass/script/utils.py
+++ b/python/grass/script/utils.py
@@ -216,11 +216,7 @@ def __setattr__(self, key: str, value: VT) -> None:
 
 
 def _get_encoding() -> str:
-    try:
-        # Python >= 3.11
-        encoding = locale.getencoding()
-    except AttributeError:
-        encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+    encoding = locale.getencoding()
     if not encoding:
         encoding = "UTF-8"
     return encoding
diff --git a/utils/mkhtml.py b/utils/mkhtml.py
index 461a5618bb1..e8e55bbedeb 100644
--- a/utils/mkhtml.py
+++ b/utils/mkhtml.py
@@ -71,11 +71,7 @@
 
 
 def _get_encoding():
-    try:
-        # Python >= 3.11
-        encoding = locale.getencoding()
-    except AttributeError:
-        encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
+    encoding = locale.getencoding()
     if not encoding:
         encoding = "UTF-8"
     return encoding