diff --git a/packages/core/src/application_module.ts b/packages/core/src/application_module.ts
index fa8e44affb641..aa970d3605fae 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/application_module.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/application_module.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {Compiler} from './linker/compiler';
 import {NgModule} from './metadata';
 import {SCHEDULER} from './render3/component_ref';
 import {setLocaleId} from './render3/i18n';
+import {global} from './util/global';
 import {NgZone} from './zone';
 
 export function _iterableDiffersFactory() {
@@ -35,19 +36,34 @@ export function _keyValueDiffersFactory() {
 export function _localeFactory(locale?: string): string {
   if (locale) {
     if (ivyEnabled) {
+      // The developer has provided a value for the `LOCALE_ID` token, which overrides the one
+      // generated by this factory. So tell the ivy infrastructure about it.
       setLocaleId(locale);
     }
     return locale;
   }
-  // Use `goog.LOCALE` as default value for `LOCALE_ID` token for Closure Compiler.
-  // Note: default `goog.LOCALE` value is `en`, when Angular used `en-US`. In order to preserve
-  // backwards compatibility, we use Angular default value over Closure Compiler's one.
-  if (ngI18nClosureMode && typeof goog !== 'undefined' && goog.LOCALE !== 'en') {
-    if (ivyEnabled) {
-      setLocaleId(goog.LOCALE);
+
+  if (ngI18nClosureMode && typeof goog !== 'undefined') {
+    // Use `goog.LOCALE` as default value for `LOCALE_ID` token for Closure Compiler.
+
+    // Note: default `goog.LOCALE` value is `en`, while Angular used `en-US`.
+    // In order to preserve backwards compatibility, we use Angular default value over Closure
+    // Compiler's one.
+    if (goog.LOCALE !== 'en') {
+      if (ivyEnabled) {
+        setLocaleId(goog.LOCALE);
+      }
+      return goog.LOCALE;
     }
-    return goog.LOCALE;
+  } else if (ivyEnabled) {
+    // The CLI tooling (e.g. translation inliner) may provide a locale by setting the ɵNG_LOCALE_ID
+    // global variable.
+    const localeId = global.ɵNG_LOCALE_ID || DEFAULT_LOCALE_ID;
+    setLocaleId(localeId);
+    return localeId;
   }
+
+  // No Closure Compiler and no ivy - so just go with the default.
   return DEFAULT_LOCALE_ID;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts
index 640063465837f..7f809a4091d6d 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,61 @@
  */
 
 import {LOCALE_ID} from '@angular/core';
+import {ivyEnabled} from '@angular/private/testing';
+
+import {getLocaleId} from '../src/render3';
+import {global} from '../src/util/global';
+import {TestBed} from '../testing';
 import {describe, expect, inject, it} from '../testing/src/testing_internal';
 
 {
   describe('Application module', () => {
     it('should set the default locale to "en-US"',
        inject([LOCALE_ID], (defaultLocale: string) => { expect(defaultLocale).toEqual('en-US'); }));
+
+    if (ivyEnabled) {
+      it('should set the ivy locale with the configured LOCALE_ID', () => {
+        TestBed.configureTestingModule({providers: [{provide: LOCALE_ID, useValue: 'fr'}]});
+        const before = getLocaleId();
+        const locale = TestBed.inject(LOCALE_ID);
+        const after = getLocaleId();
+        expect(before).toEqual('en-us');
+        expect(locale).toEqual('fr');
+        expect(after).toEqual('fr');
+      });
+
+      describe('global.ɵNG_LOCALE_ID', () => {
+        let hasGlobalLocale: boolean;
+        let globalLocale: string;
+        beforeEach(() => {
+          hasGlobalLocale = Object.getOwnPropertyNames(global).includes('ɵNG_LOCALE_ID');
+          if (hasGlobalLocale) {
+            globalLocale = global.ɵNG_LOCALE_ID;
+          }
+          global.ɵNG_LOCALE_ID = 'de';
+        });
+        afterEach(() => {
+          if (hasGlobalLocale) {
+            global.ɵNG_LOCALE_ID = globalLocale;
+          } else {
+            delete global.ɵNG_LOCALE_ID;
+          }
+        });
+
+        it('should set the locale to the global value', () => {
+          const locale = TestBed.inject(LOCALE_ID);
+          expect(locale).toEqual('de');
+          expect(getLocaleId()).toEqual('de');
+        });
+
+        it('should set the locale to the configured LOCALE_ID even if there is a global value',
+           () => {
+             TestBed.configureTestingModule({providers: [{provide: LOCALE_ID, useValue: 'fr'}]});
+             const locale = TestBed.inject(LOCALE_ID);
+             expect(locale).toEqual('fr');
+             expect(getLocaleId()).toEqual('fr');
+           });
+      });
+    }
   });
 }