diff --git a/roles/ask/templates/settings.py b/roles/ask/templates/settings.py
index 7ebb9f77c4..e24475b0aa 100644
--- a/roles/ask/templates/settings.py
+++ b/roles/ask/templates/settings.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import logging
 import sys
 import askbot
 import site
-import gettext
 
 #this line is added so that we can import pre-packaged askbot dependencies
 ASKBOT_ROOT = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(askbot.__file__))
@@ -250,6 +249,7 @@ CACHES = {
         'LOCATION': 'ask-staging'
     }
 }
+gettext = lambda s: s
 LANGUAGES = (
     ('es', gettext('Spanish')),
     ('en', gettext('English')),
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ CACHES = {
         ]
     }
 }
+gettext = lambda s: s
 LANGUAGES = (
     ('es', gettext('Spanish')),
     ('en', gettext('English')),