diff --git a/conf/locale/config.yaml b/conf/locale/config.yaml
index b4c47766bd..e8d9d9dc85 100644
--- a/conf/locale/config.yaml
+++ b/conf/locale/config.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Configuration for i18n workflow.
 
-locales: 
+locales:
     - en
 
     # More languages we might want someday, these have started on Transifex.
diff --git a/i18n/make_dummy.py b/i18n/make_dummy.py
index 13ccef5ef3..421f799b36 100755
--- a/i18n/make_dummy.py
+++ b/i18n/make_dummy.py
@@ -12,15 +12,13 @@
 #
 # po files can be generated with this:
 # django-admin.py makemessages --all --extension html -l en
-
+#
 # Usage:
 #
-# $ ./make_dummy.py <sourcefile>
+# $ ./make_dummy.py
 #
-# $ ./make_dummy.py ../conf/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
-#
-# generates output to
-#    edx-platform/conf/locale/eo/LC_MESSAGES/django.po
+# generates output conf/locale/$DUMMY_LOCALE/LC_MESSAGES,
+# where $DUMMY_LOCALE is the dummy_locale value set in the i18n config
 
 import os, sys
 import polib
@@ -59,12 +57,10 @@ def new_filename(original_filename, new_locale):
     return os.path.abspath(os.path.join(orig_dir, '../..', new_locale, msgs_dir, orig_file))
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    # required arg: file
-    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
-        raise Exception("missing file argument")
-    # optional arg: locale
-    if len(sys.argv) < 3:
-        locale = CONFIGURATION.get_dummy_locale()
-    else:
-        locale = sys.argv[2]
-    main(sys.argv[1], locale)
+    LOCALE = CONFIGURATION.dummy_locale
+    SOURCE_MSGS_DIR = CONFIGURATION.source_messages_dir
+    print "Processing source language files into dummy strings:"
+    for source_file in CONFIGURATION.source_messages_dir.walkfiles('*.po'):
+        print '   ', source_file.relpath()
+        main(SOURCE_MSGS_DIR.joinpath(source_file), LOCALE)
+    print
diff --git a/rakelib/i18n.rake b/rakelib/i18n.rake
index f59af8ea64..4f76ca34a7 100644
--- a/rakelib/i18n.rake
+++ b/rakelib/i18n.rake
@@ -14,12 +14,7 @@ namespace :i18n do
 
   desc "Simulate international translation by generating dummy strings corresponding to source strings."
   task :dummy do
-    source_files = Dir["#{REPO_ROOT}/conf/locale/en/LC_MESSAGES/*.po"]
-    dummy_locale = 'eo'
-    cmd = File.join(REPO_ROOT, "i18n", "make_dummy.py")
-    for file in source_files do
-      sh("#{cmd} #{file} #{dummy_locale}")
-    end
+    sh(File.join(REPO_ROOT, "i18n", "make_dummy.py"))
   end
 
   namespace :validate do