diff --git a/po/CMakeLists.txt b/po/CMakeLists.txt
index 719436f..21be65f 100644
--- a/po/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/po/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,27 @@ find_package (Gettext REQUIRED)
 
 file (GLOB POFILES *.po)
 GETTEXT_CREATE_TRANSLATIONS (encfs.pot ALL ${POFILES})
+
+find_program(XGETTEXT_CMD xgettext)
+
+set(_xgettext_option_list --language=C
+  --keyword=_
+  --keyword=N_
+  --keyword=C_:1c,2
+  --keyword=NC_:1c,2 -s
+  --package-name=encfs
+  --package-version=${ENCFS_VERSION})
+
+set(_potFile encfs.pot)
+file(GLOB _src_list ../**/*.cpp)
+
+if(XGETTEXT_CMD)
+  ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(OUTPUT ${_potFile}
+    COMMAND ${XGETTEXT_CMD} ${_xgettext_option_list} -o ${_potFile} ${_src_list}
+    DEPENDS ${_src_list}
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
+    COMMENT "Extract translatable messages to ${_potFile}")
+
+  ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(pot_file ${_all}
+    DEPENDS ${_potFile})
+endif()