diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 049ad99b12..e8c4c0c0ec 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,3 +15,4 @@ run_tests.log
 setuptools*.egg/
 .tox/
 .venv/
+*.mo
diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index d9cbbdaaaf..4c1862f3b2 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ include quantum/db/migration/README
 include quantum/db/migration/alembic.ini
 include quantum/db/migration/alembic/script.py.mako
 include quantum/db/migration/alembic/versions/README
+recursive-include quantum/locale *
 
 exclude .gitignore
 exclude .gitreview
diff --git a/babel.cfg b/babel.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..15cd6cb76b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/babel.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[python: **.py]
+
diff --git a/quantum/locale/quantum.pot b/quantum/locale/quantum.pot
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 28bb40fccc..565cba388c 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -14,3 +14,18 @@ cover-package = quantum
 cover-html = true
 cover-erase = true
 where=quantum/tests/unit
+
+[extract_messages]
+keywords = _ gettext ngettext l_ lazy_gettext
+mapping_file = babel.cfg
+output_file = quantum/locale/quantum.pot
+
+[compile_catalog]
+directory = quantum/locale
+domain = quantum
+
+[update_catalog]
+domain = quantum
+output_dir = quantum/locale
+input_file = quantum/locale/quantum.pot
+
diff --git a/tools/test-requires b/tools/test-requires
index 88e2046573..4cef1be281 100644
--- a/tools/test-requires
+++ b/tools/test-requires
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+Babel>=0.9.6
 cliff
 coverage
 distribute>=0.6.24