--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -152,8 +152,10 @@
 AC_SUBST([GETTEXT_PACKAGE], '[PKG_NAME]')
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([GETTEXT_PACKAGE], ["$GETTEXT_PACKAGE"],)
 
+AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.22.5])
+AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
+
 IT_PROG_INTLTOOL([0.35.0], [no-xml])
-AM_PO_SUBDIRS
 
 AC_CONFIG_COMMANDS([xsl-cleanup],,[rm -f doc/xml/transform-*.xsl])