diff --git a/pavelib/utils/passthrough_opts.py b/pavelib/utils/passthrough_opts.py
index 515c22ca5c..9a4995deba 100644
--- a/pavelib/utils/passthrough_opts.py
+++ b/pavelib/utils/passthrough_opts.py
@@ -13,15 +13,6 @@ import paver.tasks
 from mock import patch
 
 
-try:
-    from gettext import gettext
-except ImportError:
-    def gettext(message):
-        """Dummy gettext"""
-        return message
-_ = gettext
-
-
 class PassthroughOptionParser(OptionParser):
     """
     An :class:`optparse.OptionParser` which captures any unknown options into
@@ -66,9 +57,9 @@ class PassthroughOptionParser(OptionParser):
 
             if len(rargs) < nargs:
                 if nargs == 1:
-                    self.error(_("%s option requires an argument") % opt)
+                    self.error("%s option requires an argument" % opt)
                 else:
-                    self.error(_("%s option requires %d arguments")
+                    self.error("%s option requires %d arguments"
                                % (opt, nargs))
             elif nargs == 1:
                 value = rargs.pop(0)
@@ -77,7 +68,7 @@ class PassthroughOptionParser(OptionParser):
                 del rargs[0:nargs]
 
         elif had_explicit_value:
-            self.error(_("%s option does not take a value") % opt)
+            self.error("%s option does not take a value" % opt)
 
         else:
             value = None
@@ -111,9 +102,9 @@ class PassthroughOptionParser(OptionParser):
                 nargs = option.nargs
                 if len(rargs) < nargs:
                     if nargs == 1:
-                        self.error(_("%s option requires an argument") % opt)
+                        self.error("%s option requires an argument" % opt)
                     else:
-                        self.error(_("%s option requires %d arguments")
+                        self.error("%s option requires %d arguments"
                                    % (opt, nargs))
 
                 elif nargs == 1: