diff --git a/apps/routerconsole/java/build.xml b/apps/routerconsole/java/build.xml
index 747874ef4..3db3038ea 100644
--- a/apps/routerconsole/java/build.xml
+++ b/apps/routerconsole/java/build.xml
@@ -89,6 +89,24 @@
         <!-- jar again to get the latest messages_*.class files -->
         <jar destfile="./build/routerconsole.jar" basedir="./build/obj" includes="**/*.class" update="true" />
     </target>
+    <target name="poupdate" depends="compile">
+        <ant target="war" />
+        <!-- Update the messages_*.po files.
+             We need to supply the bat file for windows, and then change the fail property to true -->
+        <exec executable="sh" osfamily="unix" failifexecutionfails="true" >
+            <arg value="./bundle-messages.sh" />
+            <arg value="-p" />
+        </exec>
+        <exec executable="sh" osfamily="mac" failifexecutionfails="true" >
+            <arg value="./bundle-messages.sh" />
+            <arg value="-p" />
+        </exec>
+        <exec executable="cmd" osfamily="windows" failifexecutionfails="true" >
+            <arg value="/c" />
+            <arg value="bundle-messages.bat" />
+            <arg value="-p" />
+        </exec>
+    </target>
     <target name="war" depends="precompilejsp">
         <!-- Don't include the css in the war, the main build.xml will copy it to docs/themes/console/ -->
         <war destfile="build/routerconsole.war" webxml="../jsp/web-out.xml"
diff --git a/apps/routerconsole/java/bundle-messages.sh b/apps/routerconsole/java/bundle-messages.sh
index 7a25d1b04..f75721768 100755
--- a/apps/routerconsole/java/bundle-messages.sh
+++ b/apps/routerconsole/java/bundle-messages.sh
@@ -2,12 +2,22 @@
 # Update messages_xx.po and messages_xx.class files,
 # from both java and jsp sources.
 # Requires installed programs xgettext, msgfmt, msgmerge, and find.
+#
+# usage:
+#    bundle-messages.sh (generates the resource bundle from the .po file)
+#    bundle-messages.sh -p (updates the .po file from the source tags, then generates the resource bundle)
+#
 # zzz - public domain
 #
 CLASS=net.i2p.router.web.messages
 TMPFILE=build/javafiles.txt
 export TZ=UTC
 
+if [ "$1" = "-p" ]
+then
+	POUPDATE=1
+fi
+
 #
 # generate strings/Countries.java from ../../../installer/resources/countries.txt
 #
@@ -37,8 +47,12 @@ do
 	LG=${i#../locale/messages_}
 	LG=${LG%.po}
 
-	# make list of java files newer than the .po file
-	find $JPATHS -name *.java -newer $i > $TMPFILE
+	if [ "$POUPDATE" = "1" ]
+	then
+		# make list of java files newer than the .po file
+		find $JPATHS -name *.java -newer $i > $TMPFILE
+	fi
+
 	if [ -s build/obj/net/i2p/router/web/messages_$LG.class -a \
 	     build/obj/net/i2p/router/web/messages_$LG.class -nt $i -a \
 	     ! -s $TMPFILE ]
@@ -46,42 +60,46 @@ do
 		continue
 	fi
 
-	echo "Generating ${CLASS}_$LG ResourceBundle..."
+	if [ "$POUPDATE" = "1" ]
+	then
+	 	echo "Updating the $i file from the tags..."
+		# extract strings from java and jsp files, and update messages.po files
+		# translate calls must be one of the forms:
+		# _("foo")
+		# _x("foo")
+		# intl._("foo")
+		# intl.title("foo")
+		# handler._("foo")
+		# formhandler._("foo")
+		# net.i2p.router.web.Messages.getString("foo")
+		# In a jsp, you must use a helper or handler that has the context set.
+		# To start a new translation, copy the header from an old translation to the new .po file,
+		# then ant distclean updater.
+		find $JPATHS -name *.java > $TMPFILE
+		xgettext -f $TMPFILE -F -L java --from-code=UTF-8 \
+	                 --keyword=_ --keyword=_x --keyword=intl._ --keyword=intl.title \
+	                 --keyword=handler._ --keyword=formhandler._ \
+	                 --keyword=net.i2p.router.web.Messages.getString \
+		         -o ${i}t
+		if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+		then
+			echo 'Warning - xgettext failed, not updating translations'
+			rm -f ${i}t
+			break
+		fi
+		msgmerge -U --backup=none $i ${i}t
+		if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+		then
+			echo 'Warning - msgmerge failed, not updating translations'
+			rm -f ${i}t
+			break
+		fi
+		rm -f ${i}t
+		# so we don't do this again
+		touch $i
+	fi
 
-	# extract strings from java and jsp files, and update messages.po files
-	# translate calls must be one of the forms:
-	# _("foo")
-	# _x("foo")
-	# intl._("foo")
-	# intl.title("foo")
-	# handler._("foo")
-	# formhandler._("foo")
-	# net.i2p.router.web.Messages.getString("foo")
-	# In a jsp, you must use a helper or handler that has the context set.
-	# To start a new translation, copy the header from an old translation to the new .po file,
-	# then ant distclean updater.
-	find $JPATHS -name *.java > $TMPFILE
-	xgettext -f $TMPFILE -F -L java --from-code=UTF-8 \
-                 --keyword=_ --keyword=_x --keyword=intl._ --keyword=intl.title \
-                 --keyword=handler._ --keyword=formhandler._ \
-                 --keyword=net.i2p.router.web.Messages.getString \
-	         -o ${i}t
-	if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-	then
-		echo 'Warning - xgettext failed, not updating translations'
-		rm -f ${i}t
-		break
-	fi
-	msgmerge -U --backup=none $i ${i}t
-	if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-	then
-		echo 'Warning - msgmerge failed, not updating translations'
-		rm -f ${i}t
-		break
-	fi
-	rm -f ${i}t
-	# so we don't do this again
-	touch $i
+	echo "Generating ${CLASS}_$LG ResourceBundle..."
 
 	# convert to class files in build/obj
 	msgfmt --java -r $CLASS -l $LG -d build/obj $i
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 4ea82687d..f2e27b1df 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
         <echo message="  pkgWithDesktopgui: distclean then package everything up with the desktopgui" />
         <echo message="  distWithDesktopgui: pkgWithDesktopgui and javadoc" />
         <echo message="  distcleanWithDesktopgui: clean up all derived files (including desktopgui files)" />
+        <echo message="  poupdate: update the .po files for translators" />
     </target>
     <target name="debianhowto">
         <echo message="To build debian packages, you must run dpkg-buildpackage as root in the source directory. It will then run ant for you. dpkg-buildpackage is found in the 'dpkg-dev' package. Also it should work fine to use the 'fakeroot' package with dpkg-buildpackage, if you don't want to run as root. Please read 'man dpkg-buildpackage' before building any packages yourself." />
@@ -138,6 +139,9 @@
         <copy file="installer/lib/jbigi/jbigi.jar" todir="build" />
         <copy file="apps/addressbook/dist/addressbook.war" todir="build/" />
     </target>
+    <target name="poupdate">
+        <ant dir="apps/routerconsole/java/" target="poupdate" />
+    </target>
     <target name="javadoc">
         <mkdir dir="./build" />
         <mkdir dir="./build/javadoc" />