diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 9270cac0..f74b1e0b 100755
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@ if (!semver.satisfies(nodejsVersion, '>=6.9.0')) {
     process.exit(1);
 }
 
+// See https://github.com/CartoDB/support/issues/984
+// CartoCSS properties text-wrap-width/text-wrap-character not working
+// This function should be called as soon as possible.
+function setICUEnvVariable() {
+    if (process.env['ICU_DATA'] === undefined) {
+        process.env['ICU_DATA'] = __dirname + '/node_modules/mapnik/lib/binding/node-v48-linux-x64/share/mapnik/icu';
+    }
+}
+setICUEnvVariable();
+
 var argv = require('yargs')
     .usage('Usage: $0 <environment> [options]')
     .help('h')