diff --git a/.github/workflows/CICD.yml b/.github/workflows/CICD.yml
index 4ac8cde5a13..77e7c4617ed 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/CICD.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CICD.yml
@@ -293,6 +293,28 @@ jobs:
         test -f target/CACHEDIR.TAG
         # Restore cache for target/release (we only did a debug build)
         mv -t target/ target.cache/release 2>/dev/null || true
+    - name: "Verify bootstrap fix (issue #8837)"
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        set -x
+        # Verify that locales were successfully copied during build
+        # This ensures the bootstrap issue is fixed - the build should work
+        # even without relying on system 'install' command
+        
+        test -d target/debug/locales || { echo "::error ::Locales directory not created"; exit 1; }
+        
+        # Check for uucore common locales
+        test -f target/debug/locales/uucore/fr-FR.ftl || { echo "::error ::uucore locale not copied"; exit 1; }
+        
+        # Check for at least a few utility-specific locales
+        test -f target/debug/locales/ls/fr-FR.ftl || { echo "::error ::ls locale not copied"; exit 1; }
+        test -f target/debug/locales/cat/fr-FR.ftl || { echo "::error ::cat locale not copied"; exit 1; }
+        
+        # Count total locale files to ensure reasonable number were copied
+        LOCALE_COUNT=$(find target/debug/locales -name "*.ftl" | wc -l)
+        echo "Found $LOCALE_COUNT locale files"
+        [ "$LOCALE_COUNT" -gt 50 ] || { echo "::error ::Too few locale files copied ($LOCALE_COUNT)"; exit 1; }
+        
     - name: "`make nextest`"
       shell: bash
       run: make nextest CARGOFLAGS="--profile ci --hide-progress-bar"
diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index 41ba59349e5..55544d3c806 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ MULTICALL       ?= n
 COMPLETIONS     ?= y
 MANPAGES        ?= y
 LOCALES         ?= y
-INSTALL         ?= install
 ifneq (,$(filter install, $(MAKECMDGOALS)))
 override PROFILE:=release
 endif
@@ -53,6 +52,21 @@ endif
 PKG_BUILDDIR  := $(BUILDDIR)/deps
 DOCSDIR       := $(BASEDIR)/docs
 
+# Bootstrap protection: When uutils is installed as system coreutils (e.g., on
+# Gentoo), the system 'install' may be broken or missing, causing build failures.
+# Use the just-built 'install' binary to avoid this chicken-and-egg problem.
+# Falls back to system 'install' for first-time builds.
+ifneq ($(wildcard $(BUILDDIR)/coreutils),)
+  # Use multicall binary's install command if it exists
+  INSTALL ?= $(BUILDDIR)/coreutils install
+else ifneq ($(wildcard $(BUILDDIR)/install),)
+  # Use standalone install binary if built without multicall
+  INSTALL ?= $(BUILDDIR)/install
+else
+  # Fall back to system install command for first build
+  INSTALL ?= install
+endif
+
 BUSYBOX_ROOT := $(BASEDIR)/tmp
 BUSYBOX_VER  := 1.36.1
 BUSYBOX_SRC  := $(BUSYBOX_ROOT)/busybox-$(BUSYBOX_VER)
@@ -449,7 +463,7 @@ locales:
 	@if [ -d "$(BASEDIR)/src/uucore/locales" ]; then \
 		mkdir -p "$(BUILDDIR)/locales/uucore"; \
 		for locale_file in "$(BASEDIR)"/src/uucore/locales/*.ftl; do \
-			$(INSTALL) -m 644 -v "$$locale_file" "$(BUILDDIR)/locales/uucore/"; \
+			cp -v "$$locale_file" "$(BUILDDIR)/locales/uucore/"; \
 		done; \
 	fi; \
 	# Copy utility-specific locales
@@ -458,7 +472,7 @@ locales:
 			mkdir -p "$(BUILDDIR)/locales/$$prog"; \
 			for locale_file in "$(BASEDIR)"/src/uu/$$prog/locales/*.ftl; do \
 				if [ "$$(basename "$$locale_file")" != "en-US.ftl" ]; then \
-					$(INSTALL) -m 644 -v "$$locale_file" "$(BUILDDIR)/locales/$$prog/"; \
+					cp -v "$$locale_file" "$(BUILDDIR)/locales/$$prog/"; \
 				fi; \
 			done; \
 		fi; \