diff --git a/manual/build.py b/manual/build.py
index 2c7283fc32..7645230858 100755
--- a/manual/build.py
+++ b/manual/build.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def build_manual(language, base):
     epub_to_azw3(epub_dest)
 
 def build_pot(base):
-    cmd = [SPHINX_BUILD, '-b', 'gettext', '-t', 'online', '.', base]
+    cmd = [SPHINX_BUILD, '-b', 'gettext', '-t', 'online', '-t', 'gettext', '.', base]
     print (' '.join(cmd))
     subprocess.check_call(cmd)
     os.remove(j(base, 'generated.pot'))
diff --git a/manual/conf.py b/manual/conf.py
index cf5b175198..c2f1405f09 100644
--- a/manual/conf.py
+++ b/manual/conf.py
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ source_suffix = '.rst'
 master_doc = 'index' if tags.has('online') else 'simple_index'  # noqa
 # kill the warning about index/simple_index not being in a toctree
 exclude_patterns = ['simple_index.rst'] if master_doc == 'index' else ['index.rst']
+if tags.has('gettext'):  # noqa
+    # Do not exclude simple_index as its string must be translated. This will
+    # generate a warning about simple_index not being in a toctree, just ignore
+    # it.
+    exclude_patterns = []
 
 # The language
 language = os.environ.get('CALIBRE_OVERRIDE_LANG', 'en')