diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index ed79037f..ff172ed1 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@ dnl **
 ALL_LINGUAS="pl fi pt_BR fr de"
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT
 
+if test "x$MSGFMT" = "xno"; then
+	USE_NLS=no
+fi
+
 dnl ** common libraries needed by frontends
 COMMON_NOUI_LIBS="$PERL_LIBS $CHAT_LIBS $CORE_LIBS $INTLLIBS"
 COMMON_LIBS="$FE_COMMON_LIBS $COMMON_NOUI_LIBS"