diff --git a/openbox/openbox.c b/openbox/openbox.c
index 40b614a9..4703d7d6 100644
--- a/openbox/openbox.c
+++ b/openbox/openbox.c
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ gchar        *ob_sm_id = NULL;
 gchar        *ob_sm_save_file = NULL;
 gboolean      ob_sm_restore = TRUE;
 gboolean      ob_debug_xinerama = FALSE;
+const gchar  *ob_locale_msg = NULL;
 
 static ObState   state;
 static gboolean  xsync = FALSE;
@@ -120,6 +121,8 @@ gint main(gint argc, gchar **argv)
     ob_debug_startup();
 
     /* initialize the locale */
+    if (!(ob_locale_msg = setlocale(LC_MESSAGES, "")))
+        g_message("Couldn't set messages locale category from environment.");
     if (!setlocale(LC_ALL, ""))
         g_message("Couldn't set locale from environment.");
     bindtextdomain(PACKAGE_NAME, LOCALEDIR);
diff --git a/openbox/openbox.h b/openbox/openbox.h
index 9eaee553..229c584d 100644
--- a/openbox/openbox.h
+++ b/openbox/openbox.h
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ extern gboolean ob_sm_restore;
 extern gboolean ob_replace_wm;
 extern gboolean ob_debug_xinerama;
 
+/*! The current locale for the LC_MESSAGES category */
+extern const gchar *ob_locale_msg;
+
 /* The state of execution of the window manager */
 ObState ob_state(void);
 void ob_set_state(ObState state);