diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py b/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py
index 33874fa6a..00787f884 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/i18n.py
@@ -24,8 +24,12 @@ class I18nModule:
         languages = mesonlib.stringlistify(kwargs.get('languages', []))
         if len(languages) == 0:
             raise coredata.MesonException('List of languages empty.')
+        datadirs = mesonlib.stringlistify(kwargs.get('data_dirs', []))
         extra_args = mesonlib.stringlistify(kwargs.get('args', []))
-        potargs = [state.environment.get_build_command(), '--internal', 'gettext', 'pot', packagename] + extra_args
+        potargs = [state.environment.get_build_command(), '--internal', 'gettext', 'pot', packagename]
+        if datadirs:
+            potargs.append('--datadirs=' + ':'.join(datadirs))
+        potargs += extra_args
         pottarget = build.RunTarget(packagename + '-pot', sys.executable, potargs, [], state.subdir)
         gmoargs = [state.environment.get_build_command(), '--internal', 'gettext', 'gen_gmo'] + languages
         gmotarget = build.RunTarget(packagename + '-gmo', sys.executable, gmoargs, [], state.subdir)
diff --git a/mesonbuild/scripts/gettext.py b/mesonbuild/scripts/gettext.py
index ba6b2429c..95fd45a5f 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/scripts/gettext.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/scripts/gettext.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import os, subprocess, shutil
 from mesonbuild.scripts import destdir_join
 
-def run_potgen(src_sub, pkgname, args):
+def run_potgen(src_sub, pkgname, datadirs, args):
     listfile = os.path.join(src_sub, 'POTFILES')
     if not os.path.exists(listfile):
         listfile = os.path.join(src_sub, 'POTFILES.in')
@@ -23,9 +23,14 @@ def run_potgen(src_sub, pkgname, args):
             print('Could not find file POTFILES in %s' % src_sub)
             return 1
 
+    child_env = os.environ.copy()
+    if datadirs:
+        child_env['GETTEXTDATADIRS'] = datadirs
+
     ofile = os.path.join(src_sub, pkgname + '.pot')
     return subprocess.call(['xgettext', '--package-name=' + pkgname, '-p', src_sub, '-f', listfile,
-                            '-D', os.environ['MESON_SOURCE_ROOT'], '-k_', '-o', ofile] + args)
+                            '-D', os.environ['MESON_SOURCE_ROOT'], '-k_', '-o', ofile] + args,
+                            env=child_env)
 
 def gen_gmo(src_sub, bld_sub, langs):
     for l in langs:
@@ -47,9 +52,12 @@ def do_install(src_sub, bld_sub, dest, pkgname, langs):
 def run(args):
     subcmd = args[0]
     if subcmd == 'pot':
+        pkgname = args[1]
+        datadirs = args[2][11:] if args[2].startswith('--datadirs=') else None
+        extra_args = args[3:] if datadirs is not None else args[2:]
         src_sub = os.path.join(os.environ['MESON_SOURCE_ROOT'], os.environ['MESON_SUBDIR'])
         bld_sub = os.path.join(os.environ['MESON_BUILD_ROOT'], os.environ['MESON_SUBDIR'])
-        return run_potgen(src_sub, args[1], args[2:])
+        return run_potgen(src_sub, pkgname, datadirs, extra_args)
     elif subcmd == 'gen_gmo':
         src_sub = os.path.join(os.environ['MESON_SOURCE_ROOT'], os.environ['MESON_SUBDIR'])
         bld_sub = os.path.join(os.environ['MESON_BUILD_ROOT'], os.environ['MESON_SUBDIR'])