diff --git a/mp_msg.h b/mp_msg.h
index 3a291817c2..dad9f83345 100644
--- a/mp_msg.h
+++ b/mp_msg.h
@@ -69,6 +69,14 @@ extern int verbose; // defined in mplayer.c
 void mp_msg_init(int verbose);
 void mp_msg_c( int x, const char *format, ... );
 
+#include "config.h"
+
+#ifdef USE_I18N
+#include <libintl.h>
+#define mp_gettext(String) gettext(String)
+#else
+#define mp_gettext(String) String
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __GNUC__
 #define mp_msg(mod,lev, args... ) mp_msg_c((mod<<8)|lev, ## args )