diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e66f0c8359f1cf772b8c399d3d1a8f450b6f65b1..0af6d585c8b73d9a6522bc1d6c553ad2db017ef4 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ then
 fi
 
 dnl i18n stuff - pretty incomplete for now
-AM_GNU_GETTEXT
+AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile m4/Makefile po/Makefile.in nano.spec])
 AC_OUTPUT