diff --git a/docs/markdown/i18n-module.md b/docs/markdown/i18n-module.md
index 5e6004abe..1144e2917 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/i18n-module.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/i18n-module.md
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ argument which is the name of the gettext module.
   [source](https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/blob/master/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py)
   for for their value
 
+* `install`: (*Added 0.43.0*) if false, do not install the built translations.
+
 This function also defines targets for maintainers to use:
 **Note**: These output to the source directory
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py b/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py
index 2af09de64..5df8524df 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class I18nModule(ExtensionModule):
         ct = build.CustomTarget(kwargs['output'] + '_merge', state.subdir, kwargs)
         return ModuleReturnValue(ct, [ct])
 
-    @permittedKwargs({'po_dir', 'data_dirs', 'type', 'languages', 'args', 'preset'})
+    @permittedKwargs({'po_dir', 'data_dirs', 'type', 'languages', 'args', 'preset', 'install'})
     def gettext(self, state, args, kwargs):
         if len(args) != 1:
             raise coredata.MesonException('Gettext requires one positional argument (package name).')
@@ -126,16 +126,21 @@ class I18nModule(ExtensionModule):
             updatepoargs.append(extra_args)
         updatepotarget = build.RunTarget(packagename + '-update-po', updatepoargs[0], updatepoargs[1:], [], state.subdir)
 
-        script = state.environment.get_build_command()
-        args = ['--internal', 'gettext', 'install',
-                '--subdir=' + state.subdir,
-                '--localedir=' + state.environment.coredata.get_builtin_option('localedir'),
-                pkg_arg]
-        if lang_arg:
-            args.append(lang_arg)
-        iscript = build.RunScript(script, args)
-
-        return ModuleReturnValue(None, [pottarget, gmotarget, iscript, updatepotarget])
+        targets = [pottarget, gmotarget, updatepotarget]
+
+        install = kwargs.get('install', True)
+        if install:
+            script = state.environment.get_build_command()
+            args = ['--internal', 'gettext', 'install',
+                    '--subdir=' + state.subdir,
+                    '--localedir=' + state.environment.coredata.get_builtin_option('localedir'),
+                    pkg_arg]
+            if lang_arg:
+                args.append(lang_arg)
+            iscript = build.RunScript(script, args)
+            targets.append(iscript)
+
+        return ModuleReturnValue(None, targets)
 
 def initialize():
     return I18nModule()