diff --git a/contrib/make_tgz b/contrib/make_tgz
index 699fe3c58..9fcafbd59 100755
--- a/contrib/make_tgz
+++ b/contrib/make_tgz
@@ -7,16 +7,27 @@ ROOT_FOLDER="$CONTRIB"/..
 PACKAGES="$ROOT_FOLDER"/packages/
 LOCALE="$ROOT_FOLDER"/electrum/locale/
 
-if [ ! -d "$LOCALE" ]; then
-  echo "Run pull_locale first!"
-  exit 1
-fi
-
 if [ ! -d "$PACKAGES" ]; then
   echo "Run make_packages first!"
   exit 1
 fi
 
+git submodule update --init
+
+(
+    rm -rf "$LOCALE"
+    cd "$CONTRIB/deterministic-build/electrum-locale/"
+    if ! which msgfmt > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "Please install gettext"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    for i in ./locale/*; do
+        dir="$ROOT_FOLDER"/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES
+        mkdir -p $dir
+        msgfmt --output-file=$dir/electrum.mo $i/electrum.po || true
+    done
+)
+
 (
     cd "$ROOT_FOLDER"