diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index aa582d6554..8373ddccc9 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ distclean: clean ninja-distclean
 	rm -f config-host.mak config-host.h*
 	rm -f tests/tcg/config-*.mak
 	rm -f config-all-disas.mak config.status
-	rm -f po/*.mo tests/qemu-iotests/common.env
+	rm -f tests/qemu-iotests/common.env
 	rm -f roms/seabios/config.mak roms/vgabios/config.mak
 	rm -f qemu-plugins-ld.symbols qemu-plugins-ld64.symbols
 	rm -f *-config-target.h *-config-devices.mak *-config-devices.h
@@ -297,9 +297,6 @@ endif
 	mkdir -p "$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_desktopdir)"
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) $(SRC_PATH)/ui/qemu.desktop \
 		"$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_desktopdir)/qemu.desktop"
-ifdef CONFIG_GTK
-	$(MAKE) -C po $@
-endif
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_datadir)/keymaps"
 	set -e; for x in $(KEYMAPS); do \
 		$(INSTALL_DATA) $(SRC_PATH)/pc-bios/keymaps/$$x "$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_datadir)/keymaps"; \
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 56b2432f47..cdffe221c7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -565,6 +565,7 @@ secret_keyring=""
 libdaxctl=""
 meson=""
 skip_meson=no
+gettext=""
 
 bogus_os="no"
 malloc_trim=""
@@ -1157,6 +1158,10 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --enable-vnc) vnc="enabled"
   ;;
+  --disable-gettext) gettext="false"
+  ;;
+  --enable-gettext) gettext="true"
+  ;;
   --oss-lib=*) oss_lib="$optarg"
   ;;
   --audio-drv-list=*) audio_drv_list="$optarg"
@@ -3028,6 +3033,19 @@ if test "$whpx" != "no" ; then
     fi
 fi
 
+##########################################
+# gettext probe
+if test "$gettext" != "false" ; then
+  if has xgettext; then
+    gettext=true
+  else
+    if test "$gettext" = "true" ; then
+      feature_not_found "gettext" "Install xgettext binary"
+    fi
+    gettext=false
+  fi
+fi
+
 ##########################################
 # Sparse probe
 if test "$sparse" != "no" ; then
@@ -8095,7 +8113,7 @@ DIRS="$DIRS docs docs/interop fsdev scsi"
 DIRS="$DIRS pc-bios/optionrom pc-bios/s390-ccw"
 DIRS="$DIRS roms/seabios"
 LINKS="Makefile"
-LINKS="$LINKS tests/tcg/lm32/Makefile po/Makefile"
+LINKS="$LINKS tests/tcg/lm32/Makefile"
 LINKS="$LINKS tests/tcg/Makefile.target"
 LINKS="$LINKS pc-bios/optionrom/Makefile pc-bios/keymaps"
 LINKS="$LINKS pc-bios/s390-ccw/Makefile"
@@ -8227,6 +8245,7 @@ NINJA=$PWD/ninjatool $meson setup \
         -Db_coverage=$(if test "$gcov" = yes; then echo true; else echo false; fi) \
 	-Dsdl=$sdl -Dsdl_image=$sdl_image \
 	-Dvnc=$vnc -Dvnc_sasl=$vnc_sasl -Dvnc_jpeg=$vnc_jpeg -Dvnc_png=$vnc_png \
+	-Dgettext=$gettext \
         $cross_arg \
         "$PWD" "$source_path"
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1ae9d42868..62bf8a51c2 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1115,6 +1115,9 @@ subdir('tools')
 subdir('pc-bios')
 subdir('tests')
 subdir('docs')
+if 'CONFIG_GTK' in config_host
+  subdir('po')
+endif
 
 if build_docs
   makeinfo = find_program('makeinfo', required: build_docs)
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 67455c57bc..e5f45243ce 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+option('gettext', type : 'boolean', value : true)
 option('sdl', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
 option('sdl_image', type : 'feature', value : 'auto')
 option('vnc', type : 'feature', value : 'enabled')
diff --git a/po/LINGUAS b/po/LINGUAS
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cc4b5c3b36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/po/LINGUAS
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+bg
+de_DE
+fr_FR
+hu
+it
+sv
+tr
+zh_CN
diff --git a/po/Makefile b/po/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index c041f4c858..0000000000
--- a/po/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-# This makefile is very special as it's meant to build as part of the build
-# process and also within the source tree to update the translation files.
-
-# Set SRC_PATH for in-tree builds without configuration.
-SRC_PATH=..
-
-# The default target must come before any include statements.
-all:
-
-.PHONY:	all build clean install update
-
-%.mo: %.po
-	$(call quiet-command, msgfmt -o $@ $<,"GEN","$@")
-
--include ../config-host.mak
-include $(SRC_PATH)/rules.mak
-
-PO_PATH=$(SRC_PATH)/po
-
-VERSION=$(shell cat $(SRC_PATH)/VERSION)
-SRCS=$(filter-out $(PO_PATH)/messages.po,$(wildcard $(PO_PATH)/*.po))
-OBJS=$(patsubst $(PO_PATH)/%.po,%.mo,$(SRCS))
-
-vpath %.po $(PO_PATH)
-
-all:
-	@echo "Use 'make update' to update translation files or use 'make build'"
-	@echo "or 'make install' to build and install the translation files."
-
-update: $(SRCS)
-
-build: $(OBJS)
-
-clean:
-	rm -f $(OBJS)
-
-install: $(OBJS)
-	for obj in $(OBJS); do \
-	    base=$$(basename $$obj .mo); \
-	    $(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$base/LC_MESSAGES; \
-	    $(INSTALL) -m644 $$obj $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$base/LC_MESSAGES/qemu.mo; \
-	done
-
-$(PO_PATH)/messages.po: $(SRC_PATH)/ui/gtk.c
-	$(call quiet-command, ( cd $(SRC_PATH) && \
-          xgettext -o - --from-code=UTF-8 --foreign-user --no-location \
-	    --package-name=QEMU --package-version=$(VERSION) \
-	    --msgid-bugs-address=qemu-devel@nongnu.org -k_ -C ui/gtk.c | \
-	  sed -e s/CHARSET/UTF-8/) >$@,"GEN","$@")
-
-$(PO_PATH)/%.po: $(PO_PATH)/messages.po
-	$(call quiet-command, msgmerge -q $@ $< > $@.bak && mv $@.bak $@,"GEN","$@")
diff --git a/po/POTFILES b/po/POTFILES
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d34d5ed9aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/po/POTFILES
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ui/gtk.c
diff --git a/po/meson.build b/po/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1387fd979a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/po/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+i18n = import('i18n')
+
+if get_option('gettext')
+  i18n.gettext(meson.project_name(),
+               args: '--msgid-bugs-address=qemu-devel@nongnu.org',
+               preset: 'glib')
+endif
diff --git a/po/messages.po b/po/messages.po
deleted file mode 100644
index 065bd459a0..0000000000
--- a/po/messages.po
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,74 +0,0 @@
-# SOME DESCRIPTIVE TITLE.
-# This file is put in the public domain.
-# FIRST AUTHOR <EMAIL@ADDRESS>, YEAR.
-#
-#, fuzzy
-msgid ""
-msgstr ""
-"Project-Id-Version: QEMU 2.12.91\n"
-"Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: qemu-devel@nongnu.org\n"
-"POT-Creation-Date: 2018-07-18 07:56+0200\n"
-"PO-Revision-Date: YEAR-MO-DA HO:MI+ZONE\n"
-"Last-Translator: FULL NAME <EMAIL@ADDRESS>\n"
-"Language-Team: LANGUAGE <LL@li.org>\n"
-"Language: \n"
-"MIME-Version: 1.0\n"
-"Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8\n"
-"Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit\n"
-
-msgid " - Press Ctrl+Alt+G to release grab"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid " [Paused]"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_Pause"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_Reset"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Power _Down"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_Quit"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_Fullscreen"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_Copy"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Zoom _In"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Zoom _Out"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Best _Fit"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Zoom To _Fit"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Grab On _Hover"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_Grab Input"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Show _Tabs"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Detach Tab"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "Show Menubar"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_Machine"
-msgstr ""
-
-msgid "_View"
-msgstr ""
diff --git a/tests/vm/freebsd b/tests/vm/freebsd
index b34b14fc53..5f866e09c4 100755
--- a/tests/vm/freebsd
+++ b/tests/vm/freebsd
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class FreeBSDVM(basevm.BaseVM):
         "bash",
         "gmake",
         "gsed",
+        "gettext",
 
         # libs: crypto
         "gnutls",
diff --git a/tests/vm/netbsd b/tests/vm/netbsd
index 93d48b6fdd..ffb65a89be 100755
--- a/tests/vm/netbsd
+++ b/tests/vm/netbsd
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class NetBSDVM(basevm.BaseVM):
         "bash",
         "gmake",
         "gsed",
+        "gettext",
 
         # libs: crypto
         "gnutls",
diff --git a/tests/vm/openbsd b/tests/vm/openbsd
index 7e27fda642..8356646f21 100755
--- a/tests/vm/openbsd
+++ b/tests/vm/openbsd
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class OpenBSDVM(basevm.BaseVM):
         "bash",
         "gmake",
         "gsed",
+        "gettext",
 
         # libs: usb
         "libusb1",
