diff --git a/intl/Makefile b/intl/Makefile
index c9385ad9b3..a0278f2c4c 100644
--- a/intl/Makefile
+++ b/intl/Makefile
@@ -46,12 +46,14 @@ include ../Rules
 
 ifeq (no,$(cross-compiling))
 ifeq (yes,$(build-shared))
+ifneq ($(strip $(MSGFMT)),:)
 .PHONY: do-gettext-test
 tests: do-gettext-test
 do-gettext-test: tst-gettext.sh $(objpfx)tst-gettext
 	$(SHELL) -e $< $(common-objpfx) $(objpfx)
 endif
 endif
+endif
 
 $(objpfx)msgs.h: po2test.sed ../po/de.po
 	$(make-target-directory)