diff --git a/po/generate_pot.py b/po/generate_pot.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..bc8bd7927
--- /dev/null
+++ b/po/generate_pot.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    srcdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+    top_srcdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(srcdir, '..'))
+    potfiles = os.path.join(srcdir, 'potfiles.list')
+    VERSION = sys.argv[1]
+    os.system(f'xgettext --default-domain=elinks \
+    --directory={top_srcdir} \
+    --msgid-bugs-address=elinks-users@linuxfromscratch.org \
+    --add-comments --language=C \
+    --keyword=_ --keyword=N_ --keyword=n_:1,2 --keyword=N__ \
+    --flag=msg_text:2:c-format --flag=die:1:c-format \
+    --flag=secure_fprintf:2:c-format \
+    --flag=DBG:1:c-format --flag=elinks_debug:1:c-format \
+    --flag=WDBG:1:c-format --flag=elinks_wdebug:1:c-format \
+    --flag=ERROR:1:c-format --flag=elinks_error:1:c-format \
+    --flag=INTERNAL:1:c-format --flag=elinks_internal:1:c-format \
+    --flag=usrerror:1:c-format --flag=elinks_log:4:c-format \
+    --flag=LOG_ERR:1:c-format --flag=LOG_WARN:1:c-format \
+    --flag=LOG_INFO:1:c-format --flag=LOG_DBG:1:c-format \
+    --flag=assertm:2:c-format --flag=elinks_assertm:2:c-format \
+    --flag=add_format_to_string:2:c-format \
+    --flag=elinks_vsnprintf:3:c-format --flag=elinks_snprintf:3:c-format \
+    --flag=elinks_vasprintf:2:c-format --flag=elinks_asprintf:2:c-format \
+    --flag=vasprintfa:1:c-format --flag=asprintfa:1:c-format \
+    --flag=_:1:pass-c-format --flag=N_:1:pass-c-format \
+    --flag=n_:1:pass-c-format --flag=n_:2:pass-c-format \
+    --flag=N__:1:pass-c-format \
+    -f {potfiles}')
+    if not os.path.exists('elinks.po'):
+       sys.exit(1)
+    os.system(f'perl -I{srcdir}/perl {srcdir}/perl/msgaccel-prepare -S{top_srcdir} elinks.po')
+    os.system(f"sed -i -e 's/^\"Project-Id-Version: PACKAGE VERSION/\"Project-Id-Version: ELinks {VERSION}/' elinks.po")
+    os.system(f'mv -f elinks.po {srcdir}/elinks.pot')
diff --git a/po/meson.build b/po/meson.build
index 30712da1b..d2d038aa2 100644
--- a/po/meson.build
+++ b/po/meson.build
@@ -7,8 +7,14 @@ if conf_data.get('CONFIG_NLS')
     )
 endif
 
+generate_potfiles = find_program('potfiles.py')
+potfiles = custom_target('generate-potfiles', command:[generate_potfiles], output:'potfiles.list')
+
+generate_pot = find_program('generate_pot.py')
+generate_pot_tgt = custom_target('generate-pot', command:[generate_pot, meson.project_version()], depends:[potfiles], output:'elinks.pot')
+
 check_po_sh = find_program('check_po.sh')
 run_target('check-po', command:[check_po_sh])
 
 update_po_sh = find_program('update_po.sh')
-run_target('update-po', command:[update_po_sh])
+run_target('update-po', command:[update_po_sh], depends:[generate_pot_tgt])
diff --git a/po/potfiles.py b/po/potfiles.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..9ce6dc521
--- /dev/null
+++ b/po/potfiles.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+
+import os
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    podir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+    topsrcdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(podir, '..'))
+    potfiles = os.path.join(podir, 'potfiles.list')
+    os.chdir(topsrcdir)
+    os.system("find src/ -type f -name '*.[ch]' -o -name '*.cpp' -o -name options.inc -o -name 'actions-*.inc' | sort > %s" % potfiles)