diff --git a/.cirrus.yml b/.cirrus.yml
index 0efff6fa98..fdb1c9c94d 100644
--- a/.cirrus.yml
+++ b/.cirrus.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ freebsd_template: &FREEBSD_TEMPLATE
     APPEND_LIB: /usr/local/lib
     APPEND_INCLUDES: /usr/local/include
 
-  install_script: pkg install -y seabios gettext-tools gmake
+  install_script: pkg install -y seabios gmake
                                  pkgconf python libiconv bison perl5
                                  yajl lzo2 pixman argp-standalone
                                  libxml2 glib git
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 2362475f7a..f3cd15b79f 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ addons:
             - pkg-config
             - flex
             - bison
-            - gettext
             - acpica-tools
             - bin86
             - bcc
diff --git a/README b/README
index de579080d7..efaa1451cb 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ provided by your OS distributor:
     * bridge-utils package (/sbin/brctl)
     * iproute package (/sbin/ip)
     * GNU bison and GNU flex
-    * GNU gettext
     * ACPI ASL compiler (iasl)
 
 In addition to the above there are a number of optional build
diff --git a/automation/build/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile b/automation/build/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile
index d6cdf5b200..a1ac960595 100644
--- a/automation/build/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ RUN \
   apk add dev86 && \
   apk add dtc-dev && \
   apk add gcc  && \
+  # gettext for Xen < 4.13
   apk add gettext && \
   apk add git && \
   apk add iasl && \
diff --git a/automation/build/alpine/3.12.dockerfile b/automation/build/alpine/3.12.dockerfile
index 94557e239b..bb8e5ece74 100644
--- a/automation/build/alpine/3.12.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/alpine/3.12.dockerfile
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ RUN \
   apk add gcc  && \
   apk add g++ && \
   apk add clang  && \
+  # gettext for Xen < 4.13
   apk add gettext && \
   apk add git && \
   apk add iasl && \
diff --git a/automation/build/centos/7.2.dockerfile b/automation/build/centos/7.2.dockerfile
index af672a0be1..4baa097e31 100644
--- a/automation/build/centos/7.2.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/centos/7.2.dockerfile
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ RUN rpm --rebuilddb && \
         python-devel \
         libuuid-devel \
         pkgconfig \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         flex \
         bison \
diff --git a/automation/build/centos/7.dockerfile b/automation/build/centos/7.dockerfile
index 5f83c97d0c..e688a4cece 100644
--- a/automation/build/centos/7.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/centos/7.dockerfile
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ RUN yum -y install \
         python-devel \
         libuuid-devel \
         pkgconfig \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         flex \
         bison \
diff --git a/automation/build/debian/jessie-i386.dockerfile b/automation/build/debian/jessie-i386.dockerfile
index 66a6abb381..3f86d91f63 100644
--- a/automation/build/debian/jessie-i386.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/debian/jessie-i386.dockerfile
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/debian/jessie.dockerfile b/automation/build/debian/jessie.dockerfile
index 808d6272e4..2f19adcad3 100644
--- a/automation/build/debian/jessie.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/debian/jessie.dockerfile
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/debian/stretch-i386.dockerfile b/automation/build/debian/stretch-i386.dockerfile
index 7b6f8eff69..c7840d33ab 100644
--- a/automation/build/debian/stretch-i386.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/debian/stretch-i386.dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/debian/stretch.dockerfile b/automation/build/debian/stretch.dockerfile
index e3bace1f87..e2ee14e201 100644
--- a/automation/build/debian/stretch.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/debian/stretch.dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/debian/unstable-arm64v8.dockerfile b/automation/build/debian/unstable-arm64v8.dockerfile
index 8455d67b72..4409f596e1 100644
--- a/automation/build/debian/unstable-arm64v8.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/debian/unstable-arm64v8.dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         libfdt-dev \
diff --git a/automation/build/debian/unstable-i386.dockerfile b/automation/build/debian/unstable-i386.dockerfile
index 86ff3585df..06ffb97384 100644
--- a/automation/build/debian/unstable-i386.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/debian/unstable-i386.dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/debian/unstable.dockerfile b/automation/build/debian/unstable.dockerfile
index 1200245c9b..828afa2e1e 100644
--- a/automation/build/debian/unstable.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/debian/unstable.dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/fedora/29.dockerfile b/automation/build/fedora/29.dockerfile
index 5482952523..027b93ceaf 100644
--- a/automation/build/fedora/29.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/fedora/29.dockerfile
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ RUN dnf -y install \
         python3-devel \
         libuuid-devel \
         pkgconfig \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         flex \
         bison \
diff --git a/automation/build/suse/opensuse-leap.dockerfile b/automation/build/suse/opensuse-leap.dockerfile
index 685dd5d7fd..573fbd8ae4 100644
--- a/automation/build/suse/opensuse-leap.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/suse/opensuse-leap.dockerfile
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ RUN zypper install -y --no-recommends \
         flex \
         gcc \
         gcc-c++ \
+        # gettext-tools for Xen < 4.13
         gettext-tools \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
diff --git a/automation/build/suse/opensuse-tumbleweed.dockerfile b/automation/build/suse/opensuse-tumbleweed.dockerfile
index 061173e751..8ff7b9b5ce 100644
--- a/automation/build/suse/opensuse-tumbleweed.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/suse/opensuse-tumbleweed.dockerfile
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ RUN zypper install -y --no-recommends \
         flex \
         gcc \
         gcc-c++ \
+        # gettext-tools for Xen < 4.13
         gettext-tools \
         git \
         glib2-devel \
diff --git a/automation/build/ubuntu/bionic.dockerfile b/automation/build/ubuntu/bionic.dockerfile
index 408063698c..406a97494c 100644
--- a/automation/build/ubuntu/bionic.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/ubuntu/bionic.dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/ubuntu/focal.dockerfile b/automation/build/ubuntu/focal.dockerfile
index 90b4001a6a..952a3172aa 100644
--- a/automation/build/ubuntu/focal.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/ubuntu/focal.dockerfile
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/ubuntu/trusty.dockerfile b/automation/build/ubuntu/trusty.dockerfile
index fd377d948f..b4b2f85e73 100644
--- a/automation/build/ubuntu/trusty.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/ubuntu/trusty.dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/build/ubuntu/xenial.dockerfile b/automation/build/ubuntu/xenial.dockerfile
index 57a71eb8c6..82171d856d 100644
--- a/automation/build/ubuntu/xenial.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/build/ubuntu/xenial.dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
         pkg-config \
         flex \
         bison \
+        # gettext for Xen < 4.13
         gettext \
         acpica-tools \
         bin86 \
diff --git a/automation/tests-artifacts/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile b/automation/tests-artifacts/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile
index 9457009452..7eb1f22940 100644
--- a/automation/tests-artifacts/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile
+++ b/automation/tests-artifacts/alpine/3.12-arm64v8.dockerfile
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ RUN \
   apk add dbus && \
   apk add bash && \
   apk add python2 && \
+  # gettext for Xen < 4.13
   apk add gettext && \
   apk add zlib && \
   apk add ncurses && \
diff --git a/tools/configure b/tools/configure
index bb5acf9d43..5df30df9b3 100755
--- a/tools/configure
+++ b/tools/configure
@@ -689,7 +689,6 @@ INSTALL_PROGRAM
 SET_MAKE
 AWK
 IASL
-XGETTEXT
 FLEX
 BISON
 PERL
@@ -847,7 +846,6 @@ PYTHON
 PERL
 BISON
 FLEX
-XGETTEXT
 AS86
 LD86
 BCC
@@ -1597,7 +1595,6 @@ Some influential environment variables:
   PERL        Path to Perl parser
   BISON       Path to Bison parser generator
   FLEX        Path to Flex lexical analyser generator
-  XGETTEXT    Path to xgetttext tool
   AS86        Path to as86 tool
   LD86        Path to ld86 tool
   BCC         Path to bcc tool
@@ -4738,7 +4735,6 @@ LDFLAGS="$PREPEND_LDFLAGS $LDFLAGS $APPEND_LDFLAGS"
 
 
 
-
 # Checks for programs.
 ac_ext=c
 ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
@@ -7846,51 +7842,6 @@ fi
 
 if ! $rump; then
 
-# Extract the first word of "xgettext", so it can be a program name with args.
-set dummy xgettext; ac_word=$2
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_path_XGETTEXT+:} false; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
-else
-  case $XGETTEXT in
-  [\\/]* | ?:[\\/]*)
-  ac_cv_path_XGETTEXT="$XGETTEXT" # Let the user override the test with a path.
-  ;;
-  *)
-  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH
-do
-  IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
-    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-  if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
-    ac_cv_path_XGETTEXT="$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"
-    $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
-    break 2
-  fi
-done
-  done
-IFS=$as_save_IFS
-
-  test -z "$ac_cv_path_XGETTEXT" && ac_cv_path_XGETTEXT="no"
-  ;;
-esac
-fi
-XGETTEXT=$ac_cv_path_XGETTEXT
-if test -n "$XGETTEXT"; then
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $XGETTEXT" >&5
-$as_echo "$XGETTEXT" >&6; }
-else
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
-$as_echo "no" >&6; }
-fi
-
-
-if test x"${XGETTEXT}" = x"no"
-then
-    as_fn_error $? "Unable to find xgettext, please install xgettext" "$LINENO" 5
-fi
 case "$host_cpu" in
 i[3456]86|x86_64|aarch64)
     # Extract the first word of "iasl", so it can be a program name with args.
diff --git a/tools/configure.ac b/tools/configure.ac
index 636e7077be..6414fcbb44 100644
--- a/tools/configure.ac
+++ b/tools/configure.ac
@@ -298,7 +298,6 @@ AC_ARG_VAR([PYTHON], [Path to the Python parser])
 AC_ARG_VAR([PERL], [Path to Perl parser])
 AC_ARG_VAR([BISON], [Path to Bison parser generator])
 AC_ARG_VAR([FLEX], [Path to Flex lexical analyser generator])
-AC_ARG_VAR([XGETTEXT], [Path to xgetttext tool])
 AC_ARG_VAR([AS86], [Path to as86 tool])
 AC_ARG_VAR([LD86], [Path to ld86 tool])
 AC_ARG_VAR([BCC], [Path to bcc tool])
@@ -381,7 +380,6 @@ AS_IF([test "$cross_compiling" != yes], [
 
 if ! $rump; then
 
-AX_PATH_PROG_OR_FAIL([XGETTEXT], [xgettext])
 dnl as86, ld86, bcc and iasl are only required when the host system is x86*.
 dnl "host" here means the platform on which the hypervisor and tools is
 dnl going to run, not the platform on which we are building (known as
