diff --git a/notebook/transutils.py b/notebook/transutils.py
index 1bde12e83..eed860aa3 100644
--- a/notebook/transutils.py
+++ b/notebook/transutils.py
@@ -10,5 +10,4 @@ import gettext
 # Set up message catalog access
 base_dir = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(__file__, '..', '..'))
 trans = gettext.translation('notebook', localedir=os.path.join(base_dir, 'notebook/i18n'), fallback=True)
-trans.install()
 _ = trans.gettext