diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 066134a6f..a41379819 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -147,8 +147,10 @@ AC_PATH_PROGS([MOC], [moc-qt4 moc4 moc],, $qt_bin_path:$PATH)
 AC_PATH_PROGS([UIC], [uic-qt4 uic4 uic],, $qt_bin_path:$PATH)
 AC_PATH_PROGS([RCC], [rcc-qt4 rcc4 rcc],, $qt_bin_path:$PATH)
 AC_PATH_PROGS([LRELEASE], [lrelease-qt4 lrelease4 lrelease],, $qt_bin_path:$PATH)
+AC_PATH_PROGS([LUPDATE], [lupdate-qt4 lupdate4 lupdate],, $qt_bin_path:$PATH)
 AC_PATH_PROG([PROTOC], [protoc],, $protoc_bin_path:$PATH)
 AC_PATH_PROG(CCACHE,ccache)
+AC_PATH_PROG(XGETTEXT,xgettext)
 PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
 ## TODO: Remove these hard-coded paths and flags. They are here for the sake of
@@ -625,6 +627,13 @@ if test x$use_qt = xyes; then
       AC_MSG_ERROR("libQtDBus not found. Use --without-qtdbus.")
     fi
   fi
+  if test x$XGETTEXT == x; then
+    AC_MSG_WARN("xgettext is required to update qt translations")
+  fi
+  if test x$LUPDATE == x; then
+    AC_MSG_WARN("lupdate is required to update qt translations")
+  fi
+
   BUILD_QT=qt
 else
   use_qt=no
diff --git a/doc/translation_process.md b/doc/translation_process.md
index 1724e9537..006726b95 100644
--- a/doc/translation_process.md
+++ b/doc/translation_process.md
@@ -32,14 +32,13 @@ This directory contains all translations. Filenames must adhere to this format:
 
 `src/qt/locale/bitcoin_en.ts` is treated in a special way. It is used as the
 source for all other translations. Whenever a string in the code is changed
-this file must be updated to reflect those changes. This can be accomplished
-by running `lupdate` (included in the Qt SDK). Also, a custom script is used
+this file must be updated to reflect those changes. A  custom script is used
 to extract strings from the non-Qt parts. This script makes use of `gettext`,
 so make sure that utility is installed (ie, `apt-get install gettext` on 
-Ubuntu/Debian):
-
-    python share/qt/extract_strings_qt.py
-    lupdate bitcoin-qt.pro -no-obsolete -locations relative -ts src/qt/locale/bitcoin_en.ts
+Ubuntu/Debian). Once this has been updated, lupdate (included in the Qt SDK)
+is used to update bitcoin_en.ts. This process has been automated, from src/qt,
+simply run:
+    make translate
     
 ##### Handling of plurals in the source file
 
diff --git a/share/qt/extract_strings_qt.py b/share/qt/extract_strings_qt.py
index 1267b1856..a7bfc1f9f 100755
--- a/share/qt/extract_strings_qt.py
+++ b/share/qt/extract_strings_qt.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ they can be picked up by Qt linguist.
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
 import glob
 import operator
+import os
 
 OUT_CPP="src/qt/bitcoinstrings.cpp"
 EMPTY=['""']
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@ def parse_po(text):
 files = glob.glob('src/*.cpp') + glob.glob('src/*.h') 
 
 # xgettext -n --keyword=_ $FILES
-child = Popen(['xgettext','--output=-','-n','--keyword=_'] + files, stdout=PIPE)
+XGETTEXT=os.getenv('XGETTEXT', 'gettext')
+child = Popen([XGETTEXT,'--output=-','-n','--keyword=_'] + files, stdout=PIPE)
 (out, err) = child.communicate()
 
 messages = parse_po(out) 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 349978423..65e675e52 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ leveldb/libmemenv.a:
 	@echo "Building LevelDB ..." && cd leveldb && CXX="$(CXX)" CC="$(CC)" \
 	  PLATFORM=$(TARGET_OS) AR="$(AR)" $(MAKE) $(LEVELDB_TARGET_FLAGS) OPT="$(CXXFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS)" libmemenv.a
 
+qt/bitcoinstrings.cpp: $(libbitcoin_a_SOURCES)
+	@test -n $(XGETTEXT) || echo "xgettext is required for updating translations"
+	@cd $(top_srcdir); XGETTEXT=$(XGETTEXT) share/qt/extract_strings_qt.py
+
 CLEANFILES = leveldb/libleveldb.a leveldb/libmemenv.a *.gcda *.gcno
 
 DISTCLEANFILES = obj/build.h
diff --git a/src/qt/Makefile.am b/src/qt/Makefile.am
index c6c4cb37a..33c5825eb 100644
--- a/src/qt/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/qt/Makefile.am
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ QT_MOC_CPP = moc_aboutdialog.cpp moc_addressbookpage.cpp \
   moc_transactiontablemodel.cpp moc_transactionview.cpp moc_walletframe.cpp \
   moc_walletmodel.cpp moc_walletstack.cpp moc_walletview.cpp
 
+BITCOIN_MM = macdockiconhandler.mm macnotificationhandler.mm
+QR_CPP = qrcodedialog.cpp
+
 QT_MOC = intro.moc overviewpage.moc rpcconsole.moc
 
 QT_QRC_CPP = qrc_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -91,6 +94,19 @@ RES_ICONS = res/icons/bitcoin.png res/icons/address-book.png \
   res/icons/qrcode.png res/icons/debugwindow.png res/icons/bitcoin.ico \
   res/icons/bitcoin_testnet.ico
 
+BITCOIN_QT_CPP = aboutdialog.cpp addressbookpage.cpp \
+  addresstablemodel.cpp askpassphrasedialog.cpp bitcoinaddressvalidator.cpp \
+  bitcoinamountfield.cpp bitcoin.cpp bitcoingui.cpp \
+  bitcoinunits.cpp clientmodel.cpp csvmodelwriter.cpp editaddressdialog.cpp \
+  guiutil.cpp intro.cpp monitoreddatamapper.cpp notificator.cpp \
+  optionsdialog.cpp optionsmodel.cpp overviewpage.cpp paymentrequestplus.cpp \
+  paymentserver.cpp qvalidatedlineedit.cpp qvaluecombobox.cpp \
+  rpcconsole.cpp sendcoinsdialog.cpp sendcoinsentry.cpp \
+  signverifymessagedialog.cpp splashscreen.cpp transactiondesc.cpp \
+  transactiondescdialog.cpp transactionfilterproxy.cpp transactionrecord.cpp \
+  transactiontablemodel.cpp transactionview.cpp walletframe.cpp \
+  walletmodel.cpp walletmodeltransaction.cpp walletstack.cpp walletview.cpp
+
 RES_IMAGES = res/images/about.png res/images/splash.png \
   res/images/splash_testnet.png
 
@@ -100,20 +116,8 @@ BITCOIN_RC = res/bitcoin-qt-res.rc
 
 libbitcoinqt_a_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(QT_INCLUDES) \
   -I$(top_srcdir)/src/qt/forms $(QT_DBUS_INCLUDES)
-libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES = aboutdialog.cpp addressbookpage.cpp \
-  addresstablemodel.cpp askpassphrasedialog.cpp bitcoinaddressvalidator.cpp \
-  bitcoinamountfield.cpp bitcoin.cpp bitcoingui.cpp bitcoinstrings.cpp \
-  bitcoinunits.cpp clientmodel.cpp csvmodelwriter.cpp editaddressdialog.cpp \
-  guiutil.cpp intro.cpp monitoreddatamapper.cpp notificator.cpp \
-  optionsdialog.cpp optionsmodel.cpp overviewpage.cpp paymentrequestplus.cpp \
-  paymentserver.cpp qvalidatedlineedit.cpp qvaluecombobox.cpp \
-  rpcconsole.cpp sendcoinsdialog.cpp sendcoinsentry.cpp \
-  signverifymessagedialog.cpp splashscreen.cpp transactiondesc.cpp \
-  transactiondescdialog.cpp transactionfilterproxy.cpp transactionrecord.cpp \
-  transactiontablemodel.cpp transactionview.cpp walletframe.cpp \
-  walletmodel.cpp walletmodeltransaction.cpp walletstack.cpp walletview.cpp \
-  $(BITCOIN_QT_H) $(QT_FORMS_UI) $(QT_QRC) $(QT_TS) $(PROTOBUF_PROTO) \
-  $(RES_ICONS) $(RES_IMAGES) $(RES_MOVIES)
+libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES = $(BITCOIN_QT_CPP) $(BITCOIN_QT_H) $(QT_FORMS_UI) \
+  $(QT_QRC) $(QT_TS) $(PROTOBUF_PROTO) $(RES_ICONS) $(RES_IMAGES) $(RES_MOVIES)
 
 nodist_libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES = $(QT_MOC_CPP) $(QT_MOC) $(PROTOBUF_CC) \
   $(PROTOBUF_H) $(QT_QRC_CPP)
@@ -126,13 +130,13 @@ $(QT_MOC): $(PROTOBUF_H)
 $(QT_MOC_CPP): $(PROTOBUF_H)
 
 if TARGET_DARWIN
-  libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES += macdockiconhandler.mm macnotificationhandler.mm
+  libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES += $(BITCOIN_MM)
 endif
 if TARGET_WINDOWS
   libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES += $(BITCOIN_RC)
 endif
 if USE_QRCODE
-  libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES += qrcodedialog.cpp
+  libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES += $(QR_CPP)
 endif
 #
 
@@ -149,8 +153,16 @@ QT_FORMS_H=$(join $(dir $(QT_FORMS_UI)),$(addprefix ui_, $(notdir $(QT_FORMS_UI:
 #locale/foo.ts -> locale/foo.qm
 QT_QM=$(QT_TS:.ts=.qm)
 
+.PHONY: FORCE
 .SECONDARY: $(QT_QM)
 
+bitcoinstrings.cpp: FORCE
+	$(MAKE) -C $(top_srcdir)/src qt/bitcoinstrings.cpp
+
+translate: bitcoinstrings.cpp $(QT_FORMS_UI) $(QT_FORMS_UI) $(BITCOIN_QT_CPP) $(BITCOIN_QT_H) $(BITCOIN_MM) $(QR_CPP)
+	@test -n $(LUPDATE) || echo "lupdate is required for updating translations"
+	@$(LUPDATE) $^ -locations relative -no-obsolete -ts locale/bitcoin_en.ts
+
 $(QT_QRC_CPP): $(QT_QRC) $(QT_QM) $(QT_FORMS_H) $(RES_ICONS) $(RES_IMAGES) $(RES_MOVIES) $(PROTOBUF_H)
 	@cd $(abs_srcdir); test -f $(RCC) && $(RCC) -name bitcoin -o $(abs_builddir)/$@ $< || \
 	  echo error: could not build $@