diff --git a/nova/tests/__init__.py b/nova/tests/__init__.py
index aaf213923..8dc87d0e2 100644
--- a/nova/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/nova/tests/__init__.py
@@ -29,3 +29,8 @@
 .. moduleauthor:: Manish Singh <yosh@gimp.org>
 .. moduleauthor:: Andy Smith <andy@anarkystic.com>
 """
+
+# See http://code.google.com/p/python-nose/issues/detail?id=373
+# The code below enables nosetests to work with i18n _() blocks
+import __builtin__
+setattr(__builtin__, '_', lambda x: x)