diff --git a/build/android/Makefile b/build/android/Makefile
index 1c552636..e46507e1 100644
--- a/build/android/Makefile
+++ b/build/android/Makefile
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ ICONV_TIMESTAMP = $(ICONV_DIR)/timestamp
 ICONV_TIMESTAMP_INT = $(ANDR_ROOT)/deps/iconv_timestamp
 ICONV_URL_HTTP = https://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/libiconv/libiconv-$(ICONV_VERSION).tar.gz
 
+INTL_DIR = $(ANDR_ROOT)/deps/libintl/
+INTL_LIB = $(INTL_DIR)/libintl.a
+INTL_TIMESTAMP = $(INTL_DIR)timestamp
+INTL_TIMESTAMP_INT = $(ANDR_ROOT)/deps/intl_timestamp
+INTL_URL_HTTP = https://github.com/j-jorge/libintl-lite/archive/master.tar.gz
+
 SQLITE3_VERSION = 3150000
 SQLITE3_DIR = $(ANDR_ROOT)/deps/sqlite
 SQLITE3_URL = https://www.sqlite.org/2016/sqlite-amalgamation-$(SQLITE3_VERSION).zip
@@ -503,6 +509,60 @@ $(ICONV_LIB) : $(ICONV_TIMESTAMP)
 clean_iconv :
 	$(RM) -rf ${ICONV_DIR}
 
+$(INTL_TIMESTAMP) : intl_download
+	@LAST_MODIF=$$(find ${INTL_DIR} -type f -printf '%T@ %p\n' | sort -n | tail -1 | cut -f2- -d" "); \
+	if [ $$(basename $$LAST_MODIF) != "timestamp" ] ; then                     \
+		touch ${INTL_TIMESTAMP};                                           \
+	fi
+
+intl_download :
+	@if [ ! -d ${INTL_DIR} ] ; then                                        \
+		echo "libintl sources missing, downloading...";                    \
+		mkdir -p ${ANDR_ROOT}/deps;                                        \
+		cd ${ANDR_ROOT}/deps;                                              \
+		wget ${INTL_URL_HTTP} -O libintl.tar.gz || exit 1;                 \
+		tar -xzf libintl.tar.gz || exit 1;                                 \
+		rm libintl.tar.gz;                                                 \
+		ln -s libintl-lite-master libintl;                                 \
+	fi
+
+intl : $(INTL_LIB)
+
+$(INTL_LIB) : $(INTL_TIMESTAMP)
+	@REFRESH=0;                                                                \
+	if [ ! -e ${INTL_TIMESTAMP_INT} ] ; then                                   \
+		REFRESH=1;                                                             \
+	fi;                                                                        \
+	if [ ! -e ${INTL_LIB} ] ; then                                             \
+		REFRESH=1;                                                             \
+	fi;                                                                        \
+	if [ ${INTL_TIMESTAMP} -nt ${INTL_TIMESTAMP_INT} ] ; then                  \
+		REFRESH=1;                                                             \
+	fi;                                                                        \
+	if [ $$REFRESH -ne 0 ] ; then                                              \
+	mkdir -p ${INTL_DIR};                                                      \
+	echo "changed timestamp for intl detected building...";                    \
+	cd ${INTL_DIR};                                                            \
+	\
+	export TOOLCHAIN=/tmp/ndk-${TARGET_HOST}-intl;                             \
+	${ANDROID_NDK}/build/tools/make-standalone-toolchain.sh                    \
+		--toolchain=${TARGET_TOOLCHAIN}-${COMPILER_VERSION}                    \
+		--platform=${APP_PLATFORM} --install-dir=$${TOOLCHAIN};                \
+	export PATH="$${TOOLCHAIN}/bin:$${PATH}";                                  \
+	cd internal;                                                               \
+	${CROSS_PREFIX}g++ -O3 -c libintl.cpp -o libintl.o || exit 1;              \
+	${CROSS_PREFIX}ar rs ../libintl.a libintl.o || exit 1;                     \
+	cd ..;                                                                     \
+	touch ${INTL_TIMESTAMP};                                                   \
+	touch ${INTL_TIMESTAMP_INT};                                               \
+	rm -rf ${TOOLCHAIN};                                                       \
+	else                                                                       \
+		echo "nothing to be done for intl";                                    \
+	fi
+
+clean_intl :
+	$(RM) -rf ${INTL_DIR}
+
 #Note: Texturehack patch is required for gpu's not supporting color format
 #      correctly. Known bad GPU:
 #      -geforce on emulator
@@ -778,6 +838,20 @@ assets : $(ASSETS_TIMESTAMP)
 	mkdir ${APP_ROOT}/assets/MultiCraft/fonts;                                 \
 	cp -r ${PROJ_ROOT}/fonts/retrovillenc.ttf ${APP_ROOT}/assets/MultiCraft/fonts/; \
 	cp -r ${PROJ_ROOT}/games ${APP_ROOT}/assets/MultiCraft;                    \
+	mkdir -p ${APP_ROOT}/assets/MultiCraft/locale;                              \
+	pushd ${PROJ_ROOT}/po;                                                     \
+	for lang in *; do                                                          \
+		[ $${#lang} -ne 2 ] && continue;                                       \
+		MOPATH=${APP_ROOT}/assets/MultiCraft/locale/$$lang/LC_MESSAGES;        \
+		mkdir -p $$MOPATH;                                                     \
+		pushd $$lang;                                                          \
+		for fn in *.po; do                                                     \
+			newfn=$${fn/.po/.mo};                                              \
+			msgfmt -o $$MOPATH/$$newfn $$fn;                                   \
+		done;                                                                  \
+		popd;                                                                  \
+	done;                                                                      \
+	popd;                                                                      \
 	cp -r ${PROJ_ROOT}/textures ${APP_ROOT}/assets/MultiCraft;                 \
 	cp -r ${PROJ_ROOT}/worlds ${APP_ROOT}/assets/MultiCraft;                   \
 	cd ${APP_ROOT}/assets ||  exit 1;                                          \
@@ -802,7 +876,7 @@ clean_assets :
 
 # $(MPIR_LIB)
 apk: local.properties $(ICONV_LIB) $(IRRLICHT_LIB) $(CURL_LIB) $(LEVELDB_LIB) $(LUAJIT_LIB) \
-	$(OPENAL_LIB) $(VORBIS_LIB) prep_srcdir $(ANDR_ROOT)/jni/src/android_version.h      \
+	$(OPENAL_LIB) $(VORBIS_LIB) $(INTL_LIB) prep_srcdir $(ANDR_ROOT)/jni/src/android_version.h      \
 	$(ANDR_ROOT)/jni/src/android_version_githash.h sqlite3_download assets
 	+ @${ANDROID_NDK}/ndk-build NDK_MODULE_PATH=${NDK_MODULE_PATH}                  \
 		GPROF=${GPROF} APP_ABI=${TARGET_ABI}                                   \
diff --git a/build/android/jni/Android.mk b/build/android/jni/Android.mk
index 0d16a47d..31f70662 100644
--- a/build/android/jni/Android.mk
+++ b/build/android/jni/Android.mk
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ LOCAL_MODULE := iconv
 LOCAL_SRC_FILES := deps/libiconv/lib/.libs/libiconv.a
 include $(PREBUILT_STATIC_LIBRARY)
 
+include $(CLEAR_VARS)
+LOCAL_MODULE := intl
+LOCAL_SRC_FILES := deps/libintl/libintl.a
+include $(PREBUILT_STATIC_LIBRARY)
+
 include $(CLEAR_VARS)
 LOCAL_MODULE := openal
 LOCAL_SRC_FILES := deps/openal-soft/android/obj/local/$(APP_ABI)/libopenal.a
@@ -42,22 +47,6 @@ LOCAL_MODULE := LuaJIT
 LOCAL_SRC_FILES := deps/luajit/src/libluajit.a
 include $(PREBUILT_STATIC_LIBRARY)
 
-#include $(CLEAR_VARS)
-#LOCAL_MODULE := GNUIntl
-#LOCAL_SRC_FILES := deps/gnuintl/obj/local/$(APP_ABI)/libgnuintl.so
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS := -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DDEPENDS_ON_LIBICONV=1
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -Drelocate=libintl_relocate
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -Dset_relocation_prefix=libintl_set_relocation_prefix
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DNO_XMALLOC
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DIN_LIBRARY
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DENABLE_RELOCATABLE=1
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DIN_LIBINTL
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DBUILDING_DLL
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DBUILDING_LIBINTL
-#LOCAL_CFLAGS += -DLOCALE_ALIAS_PATH=\"/sdcard/Android/data/mobi.MultiCraft/files\"
-#include $(PREBUILT_SHARED_LIBRARY)
-
 include $(CLEAR_VARS)
 LOCAL_MODULE := multicraft
 
@@ -70,6 +59,7 @@ LOCAL_CFLAGS := -D_IRR_ANDROID_PLATFORM_ \
 		-DUSE_CURL=1                     \
 		-DUSE_SOUND=1                    \
 		-DUSE_FREETYPE=1                 \
+		-DUSE_GETTEXT=1                  \
 		-DUSE_LEVELDB=1                  \
 		$(GPROF_DEF)                     \
 		-pipe -fstrict-aliasing
@@ -106,6 +96,7 @@ LOCAL_C_INCLUDES := \
 		jni/src/gmp                               \
 		deps/irrlicht/include                     \
 		deps/libiconv/include                     \
+		deps/libintl                              \
 		deps/freetype/include                     \
 		deps/curl/include                         \
 		deps/openal-soft/include                  \
@@ -113,8 +104,6 @@ LOCAL_C_INCLUDES := \
 		deps/sqlite/                              \
 		deps/leveldb/include                      \
 		deps/luajit/src                           \
-#		deps/gnuintl/jni/include                  \
-#		deps/gnuintl/jni/src
 
 LOCAL_SRC_FILES := \
 		jni/src/ban.cpp                           \
@@ -310,8 +299,7 @@ LOCAL_SRC_FILES += \
 # JSONCPP
 LOCAL_SRC_FILES += jni/src/json/jsoncpp.cpp
 
-LOCAL_STATIC_LIBRARIES := Irrlicht LevelDB freetype curl iconv LuaJIT openal vorbis android_native_app_glue $(PROFILER_LIBS)
-#LOCAL_SHARED_LIBRARIES := GNUIntl
+LOCAL_STATIC_LIBRARIES := Irrlicht LevelDB freetype curl iconv intl LuaJIT openal vorbis android_native_app_glue $(PROFILER_LIBS)
 
 LOCAL_LDLIBS := -lEGL -lGLESv1_CM -lGLESv2 -landroid -lOpenSLES
 
diff --git a/src/defaultsettings.cpp b/src/defaultsettings.cpp
index 7490aa56..9a643cf4 100644
--- a/src/defaultsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/defaultsettings.cpp
@@ -334,7 +334,18 @@ void set_default_settings(Settings *settings)
 
 	settings->setDefault("high_precision_fpu", "true");
 
+#ifdef __ANDROID__
+	// Auto-detect language on Android
+	// FIXME: this code should be in init_gettext() ideally
+	char lang[3] = {0};
+	AConfiguration_getLanguage(porting::app_global->config, lang);
+	if (!lang[0])
+		errorstream << "Language auto-detection failed!" << std::endl;
+	settings->setDefault("language", lang);
+#else
 	settings->setDefault("language", "");
+#endif
+
 	settings->setDefault("mainmenu_last_selected_world", "1");
 
 #ifdef __ANDROID__
diff --git a/src/gettext.cpp b/src/gettext.cpp
index f5485a89..306ee37c 100644
--- a/src/gettext.cpp
+++ b/src/gettext.cpp
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
 #include "gettext.h"
 #include "util/string.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "filesys.h"
 
 #if USE_GETTEXT && defined(_MSC_VER)
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <map>
 #include <direct.h>
-#include "filesys.h"
 
 #define setlocale(category, localename) \
 	setlocale(category, MSVC_LocaleLookup(localename))
@@ -234,6 +234,22 @@ void init_gettext(const char *path, const std::string &configured_language,
 	//errorstream << "Gettext debug: domainname = " << tdomain << "; codeset = "<< codeset << std::endl;
 #endif // defined(_WIN32)
 
+#if defined(__ANDROID__)
+	// On Android we use libintl-lite, we need to load .mo files manually
+	if (!configured_language.empty()) {
+		std::string mopath = path;
+		mopath += DIR_DELIM + configured_language
+				+ DIR_DELIM + "LC_MESSAGES"
+				+ DIR_DELIM + PROJECT_NAME
+				+ ".mo";
+		infostream << "Loading translations from file: " << mopath << std::endl;
+		int r = loadMessageCatalog(name.c_str(), mopath.c_str());
+		infostream << "  " << ( (r == 1)?"success":"failed" ) << std::endl;
+	} else {
+		infostream << "Language not configured, skipping load." << std::endl;
+	}
+#endif // defined(__ANDROID__)
+
 #else
 	/* set current system default locale */
 	setlocale(LC_ALL, "");
diff --git a/src/porting_android.cpp b/src/porting_android.cpp
index 6abc2a54..e22c6c5e 100644
--- a/src/porting_android.cpp
+++ b/src/porting_android.cpp
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ void initializePathsAndroid()
 			"getExternalStorageDirectory");
 	path_user    = path_storage + DIR_DELIM + "Android/data/mobi.MultiCraft/Files";
 	path_share   = path_user;
+	path_locale  = path_user + DIR_DELIM + "locale";
 }
 
 void showInputDialog(const std::string& acceptButton, const  std::string& hint,