diff --git a/modules/TDEMacros.cmake b/modules/TDEMacros.cmake
index 1fb0e6f..15008b8 100644
--- a/modules/TDEMacros.cmake
+++ b/modules/TDEMacros.cmake
@@ -1378,8 +1378,9 @@ macro( tde_create_translation )
   endforeach( )
 
   if( NOT MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE )
-    tde_message_fatal( "MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE variable is not defined" )
-  elseif( NOT _lang )
+    tde_setup_msgfmt( )
+  endif( )
+  if( NOT _lang )
     tde_message_fatal( "missing LANG directive" )
   endif( )