diff --git a/m4/moo-i18n.m4 b/m4/moo-i18n.m4
index 18516b65..a5e5c779 100644
--- a/m4/moo-i18n.m4
+++ b/m4/moo-i18n.m4
@@ -7,6 +7,26 @@ AC_DEFUN_ONCE([MOO_AC_PO_GSV],[
   IT_PO_SUBDIR([po-gsv])
 ])
 
+# _MOO_AC_PROG_INTLTOOL(min-version,if-found,if-not-found)
+AC_DEFUN([_MOO_AC_PROG_INTLTOOL],[
+  INTLTOOL_REQUIRED_VERSION_AS_INT=`echo $1 | awk -F. '{ print $ 1 * 1000 + $ 2 * 100 + $ 3; }'`
+  INTLTOOL_APPLIED_VERSION=`intltool-update --version 2>/dev/null | head -1 | cut -d" " -f3`
+  [INTLTOOL_APPLIED_VERSION_AS_INT=`echo $INTLTOOL_APPLIED_VERSION | awk -F. '{ print $ 1 * 1000 + $ 2 * 100 + $ 3; }'`
+  ]
+  if test "$INTLTOOL_APPLIED_VERSION_AS_INT" -ge "$INTLTOOL_REQUIRED_VERSION_AS_INT"; then
+    $2
+    :
+  else
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for intltool >= $1])
+    if test "x$INTLTOOL_APPLIED_VERSION" = "x"; then
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([not found])
+    else
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([$INTLTOOL_APPLIED_VERSION found])
+    fi
+    $3
+  fi
+])
+
 AC_DEFUN_ONCE([MOO_AC_I18N],[
   AC_REQUIRE([MOO_AC_CHECK_OS])
 
@@ -37,8 +57,15 @@ AC_DEFUN_ONCE([MOO_AC_I18N],[
     MOO_PO_SUBDIRS_RULE='po-subdirs-stamp: ; echo dummy > po-subdirs-stamp'
     MOO_PO_SUBDIRS_RULE2='po-subdirs-stamp-2: ; echo dummy > po-subdirs-stamp-2'
   ],[
+    if test "x$_moo_enable_nls" != xno; then
+      _MOO_AC_PROG_INTLTOOL([0.40],[],[
+        _moo_enable_nls=no
+        AC_MSG_WARN([intltool version 0.40 or newer not found, native language support will be disabled])
+      ])
+    fi
+
     if test "x$_moo_enable_nls" = xyes; then
-      AC_PROG_INTLTOOL([0.35])
+      AC_PROG_INTLTOOL([0.40])
       AM_GLIB_GNU_GETTEXT
 
       # these two are copied from intltool, need them under different name to use with --disable-nls