diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cc310a9ca..b3fad3bb0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -201,20 +201,6 @@ if(ENABLE_LARGEFILE)
   add_definitions(-D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_LARGE_FILES)
 endif()
 
-# Check for Gettext
-if(ENABLE_NLS)
-  find_package(Gettext)
-  if(GETTEXT_FOUND)
-    add_definitions(-DENABLE_NLS)
-    find_package(Intl)
-    if(Intl_FOUND)
-      list(APPEND EXTRA_LIBS "${Intl_LIBRARIES}")
-    endif()
-  else()
-    message(SEND_ERROR "Gettext not found")
-  endif()
-endif()
-
 # Check for libgcrypt
 find_package(GCRYPT REQUIRED)
 add_definitions(-DHAVE_GCRYPT)
@@ -262,7 +248,15 @@ endif()
 add_subdirectory(icons)
 
 if(ENABLE_NLS)
+  find_package(Gettext REQUIRED)
+  add_definitions(-DENABLE_NLS)
+  find_package(Intl)
+  if(Intl_FOUND)
+    list(APPEND EXTRA_LIBS "${Intl_LIBRARIES}")
+  endif()
   add_subdirectory(po)
+else()
+  add_custom_target(translations COMMAND true)
 endif()
 
 add_subdirectory(src)
diff --git a/ChangeLog.adoc b/ChangeLog.adoc
index 492203570..7d05e1ad2 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.adoc
+++ b/ChangeLog.adoc
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ Tests::
 
 Build::
 
+  * core: fix build error if CMake option ENABLE_NLS is turned to off or if required dependencies are not found (issue #2026)
   * core, logger, relay: make zstd dependency optional (issue #2024)
 
 [[v4.0.5]]
diff --git a/po/CMakeLists.txt b/po/CMakeLists.txt
index 1fda0cb38..578e78f72 100644
--- a/po/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/po/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@
 # along with WeeChat.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
+# Check for programs xgettext, msgmerge and msgfmt
+find_program(XGETTEXT_EXECUTABLE xgettext REQUIRED)
+find_program(MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE msgmerge REQUIRED)
+find_program(MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE msgfmt REQUIRED)
+
 set(PO_FILES
   cs.po
   de.po
@@ -39,70 +44,61 @@ set(POT_FILE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${POT_FILE}")
 
 include(srcfiles.cmake)
 
-# Looking for xgettext, msgmerge and msgfmt
-find_program(XGETTEXT_EXECUTABLE xgettext)
-find_program(MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE msgmerge)
-find_program(MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE msgfmt)
+# Create PO template file weechat.pot
+set(SRC_FILES)
+set(POT_DEPENDS)
 
-if(XGETTEXT_EXECUTABLE AND MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE AND MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE)
+foreach(srcfile ${WEECHAT_SOURCES})
+  set(SRC_FILES ${SRC_FILES} ${srcfile})
+  set(POT_DEPENDS ${POT_DEPENDS} "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/${srcfile}")
+endforeach()
 
-  # Create PO template file weechat.pot
-  set(SRC_FILES)
-  set(POT_DEPENDS)
+add_custom_command(
+  OUTPUT "${POT_FILE_PATH}"
+  COMMAND "${XGETTEXT_EXECUTABLE}"
+  ARGS -o "${POT_FILE_PATH}" --add-comments='TRANSLATORS:' --keyword='_' --keyword='weechat_gettext' --keyword='N_' --keyword='NG_:1,2' --keyword='weechat_ngettext:1,2' --no-location --from-code=UTF-8 --directory="${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}" --package-name='WeeChat' --package-version=${VERSION} --msgid-bugs-address=${BUGS_ADDRESS} --copyright-holder='NAME' ${SRC_FILES}
+  DEPENDS ${POT_DEPENDS}
+  COMMENT "Generating ${POT_FILE}"
+)
 
-  foreach(srcfile ${WEECHAT_SOURCES})
-    set(SRC_FILES ${SRC_FILES} ${srcfile})
-    set(POT_DEPENDS ${POT_DEPENDS} "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/${srcfile}")
-  endforeach()
+set(MO_FILES)
+set(UPDATE_PO_TARGETS)
+foreach(pofile ${PO_FILES})
+  get_filename_component(polang ${pofile} NAME_WE)
 
+  # Compile .po files in build directory (to binary .mo files)
+  set(modir "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${polang}/LC_MESSAGES")
+  file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${modir}")
+  set(mofile "${modir}/${PROJECT_NAME}.mo")
   add_custom_command(
-    OUTPUT "${POT_FILE_PATH}"
-    COMMAND "${XGETTEXT_EXECUTABLE}"
-    ARGS -o "${POT_FILE_PATH}" --add-comments='TRANSLATORS:' --keyword='_' --keyword='weechat_gettext' --keyword='N_' --keyword='NG_:1,2' --keyword='weechat_ngettext:1,2' --no-location --from-code=UTF-8 --directory="${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}" --package-name='WeeChat' --package-version=${VERSION} --msgid-bugs-address=${BUGS_ADDRESS} --copyright-holder='NAME' ${SRC_FILES}
-    DEPENDS ${POT_DEPENDS}
-    COMMENT "Generating ${POT_FILE}"
+    OUTPUT "${mofile}"
+    COMMAND "${MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS --quiet -o "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${pofile}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${pofile}" ${POT_FILE_PATH}
+    COMMAND "${MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS -o "${mofile}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${pofile}"
+    COMMAND "${MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS -c --statistics --verbose --output-file=/dev/null "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${pofile}"
+    DEPENDS "${POT_FILE_PATH}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${pofile}"
+    COMMENT "Compiling ${polang}.po"
   )
 
-  set(MO_FILES)
-  set(UPDATE_PO_TARGETS)
-  foreach(pofile ${PO_FILES})
-    get_filename_component(polang ${pofile} NAME_WE)
-
-    # Compile .po files in build directory (to binary .mo files)
-    set(modir "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${polang}/LC_MESSAGES")
-    file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${modir}")
-    set(mofile "${modir}/${PROJECT_NAME}.mo")
-    add_custom_command(
-      OUTPUT "${mofile}"
-      COMMAND "${MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS --quiet -o "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${pofile}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${pofile}" ${POT_FILE_PATH}
-      COMMAND "${MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS -o "${mofile}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${pofile}"
-      COMMAND "${MSGFMT_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS -c --statistics --verbose --output-file=/dev/null "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${pofile}"
-      DEPENDS "${POT_FILE_PATH}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${pofile}"
-      COMMENT "Compiling ${polang}.po"
-    )
-
-    # Update .po files in source directory (if needed)
-    add_custom_target(
-      update-${pofile}
-      COMMAND "${MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE}" --quiet --update --previous --backup=none "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${pofile}" "${POT_FILE_PATH}"
-      COMMENT "Updating ${polang}.po"
-    )
-    set(UPDATE_PO_TARGETS ${UPDATE_PO_TARGETS} update-${pofile})
-
-    install(FILES "${mofile}" DESTINATION "${LOCALEDIR}/${polang}/LC_MESSAGES")
-    set(MO_FILES ${MO_FILES} ${mofile})
-  endforeach()
-
-  add_custom_target(translations ALL DEPENDS ${MO_FILES})
-
-  # Update weechat.pot in source directory (if needed)
+  # Update .po files in source directory (if needed)
   add_custom_target(
-    update-${POT_FILE}
-    COMMAND "${MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE}" --quiet --update --backup=none "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${POT_FILE}" "${POT_FILE_PATH}"
-    COMMENT "Updating ${POT_FILE}"
+    update-${pofile}
+    COMMAND "${MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE}" --quiet --update --previous --backup=none "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${pofile}" "${POT_FILE_PATH}"
+    COMMENT "Updating ${polang}.po"
   )
+  set(UPDATE_PO_TARGETS ${UPDATE_PO_TARGETS} update-${pofile})
 
-  # Update all .po and weechat.pot in source directory (if needed)
-  add_custom_target(update-po DEPENDS update-${POT_FILE} ${UPDATE_PO_TARGETS})
+  install(FILES "${mofile}" DESTINATION "${LOCALEDIR}/${polang}/LC_MESSAGES")
+  set(MO_FILES ${MO_FILES} ${mofile})
+endforeach()
 
-endif()
+add_custom_target(translations ALL DEPENDS ${MO_FILES})
+
+# Update weechat.pot in source directory (if needed)
+add_custom_target(
+  update-${POT_FILE}
+  COMMAND "${MSGMERGE_EXECUTABLE}" --quiet --update --backup=none "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${POT_FILE}" "${POT_FILE_PATH}"
+  COMMENT "Updating ${POT_FILE}"
+)
+
+# Update all .po and weechat.pot in source directory (if needed)
+add_custom_target(update-po DEPENDS update-${POT_FILE} ${UPDATE_PO_TARGETS})