diff --git a/make/gettext.mk b/make/gettext.mk
index 184b7ef0..a94752f0 100644
--- a/make/gettext.mk
+++ b/make/gettext.mk
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ merge-pot: $(GETTEXT_POT)
 		$(wildcard $(GETTEXT_PROJECT_PO)) $<
 	mv $(GETTEXT_PROJECT_PO).tmp $(GETTEXT_PROJECT_PO)
 
-$(GETTEXT_PROJECT_PO): $(GETTEXT_POT)
+%.po: %.pot
 	msgcat --lang $(GETTEXT_LOCALE) --output-file $@.tmp $^
 	mv $@.tmp $@