diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index c89c3bb537..9bf96c3af0 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -1542,19 +1542,21 @@ static void wt_shortstatus_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 		return;
 	}
 
+#define LABEL(string) (s->no_gettext ? (string) : _(string))
+
 	color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, " [");
 	if (upstream_is_gone) {
-		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, _("gone"));
+		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, LABEL(N_("gone")));
 	} else if (!num_ours) {
-		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, _("behind "));
+		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, LABEL(N_("behind ")));
 		color_fprintf(s->fp, branch_color_remote, "%d", num_theirs);
 	} else if (!num_theirs) {
-		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, _("ahead "));
+		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, LABEL(N_(("ahead "))));
 		color_fprintf(s->fp, branch_color_local, "%d", num_ours);
 	} else {
-		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, _("ahead "));
+		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, LABEL(N_(("ahead "))));
 		color_fprintf(s->fp, branch_color_local, "%d", num_ours);
-		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, _(", behind "));
+		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, ", %s", LABEL(N_("behind ")));
 		color_fprintf(s->fp, branch_color_remote, "%d", num_theirs);
 	}
 
@@ -1599,5 +1601,6 @@ void wt_porcelain_print(struct wt_status *s)
 	s->use_color = 0;
 	s->relative_paths = 0;
 	s->prefix = NULL;
+	s->no_gettext = 1;
 	wt_shortstatus_print(s);
 }
diff --git a/wt-status.h b/wt-status.h
index 30a4812583..82f6ce64f8 100644
--- a/wt-status.h
+++ b/wt-status.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ struct wt_status {
 	enum commit_whence whence;
 	int nowarn;
 	int use_color;
+	int no_gettext;
 	int display_comment_prefix;
 	int relative_paths;
 	int submodule_summary;