diff --git a/src/Experimental.h b/src/Experimental.h
index 395a4782c..c64d748a0 100644
--- a/src/Experimental.h
+++ b/src/Experimental.h
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 // JKC (effect by Norm C, 02 Oct 2013)
 #define EXPERIMENTAL_SCIENCE_FILTERS
 
+// JKC an experiement to work around bug 2709
+// disabled.
+//define EXPERIMENTAL_CEE_NUMBERS_OPTION
+
 // LLL, 01 Oct 2013:
 // NEW key assignment view for preferences
 #define EXPERIMENTAL_KEY_VIEW
diff --git a/src/Internat.cpp b/src/Internat.cpp
index a0332f39f..fdc250f0d 100644
--- a/src/Internat.cpp
+++ b/src/Internat.cpp
@@ -124,6 +124,13 @@ void Internat::Init()
    }
 }
 
+void Internat::SetCeeNumberFormat()
+{
+   wxSetlocale( LC_NUMERIC, "C" );
+   mDecimalSeparator = '.';
+}
+
+
 wxChar Internat::GetDecimalSeparator()
 {
    return mDecimalSeparator;
diff --git a/src/Internat.h b/src/Internat.h
index 140cc1cd1..208dccdbf 100644
--- a/src/Internat.h
+++ b/src/Internat.h
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ public:
     * Normally, this is a decimal point ('.'), but e.g. Germany uses a
     * comma (',').*/
    static wxChar GetDecimalSeparator();
+   static void SetCeeNumberFormat();
 
    /** \brief Convert a string to a number.
     *
diff --git a/src/prefs/GUIPrefs.cpp b/src/prefs/GUIPrefs.cpp
index e14dc60c9..adc5a34a4 100644
--- a/src/prefs/GUIPrefs.cpp
+++ b/src/prefs/GUIPrefs.cpp
@@ -209,6 +209,11 @@ void GUIPrefs::PopulateOrExchange(ShuttleGui & S)
       S.TieCheckBox(XXO("Use mostly Left-to-Right layouts in RTL languages"),
          {"/GUI/RtlWorkaround",
           true});
+#endif
+#ifdef EXPERIMENTAL_CEE_NUMBERS_OPTION
+      S.TieCheckBox(XXO("Never use comma as decimal point"),
+                    {wxT("/Locale/CeeNumberFormat"),
+                     false});
 #endif
    }
    S.EndStatic();
@@ -317,6 +322,13 @@ wxString GUIPrefs::SetLang( const wxString & lang )
 
    Internat::Init();
 
+#ifdef EXPERIMENTAL_CEE_NUMBERS_OPTION
+   bool forceCeeNumbers;
+   gPrefs->Read(wxT("/Locale/CeeNumberFormat"), &forceCeeNumbers, false);
+   if( forceCeeNumbers )
+      Internat::SetCeeNumberFormat();
+#endif
+
    // Unused strings that we want to be translated, even though
    // we're not using them yet...
    using future1 = decltype( XO("Master Gain Control") );