diff --git a/src/app-utils/app-utils.i b/src/app-utils/app-utils.i
index b3586d8fdd..8237bbf3fd 100644
--- a/src/app-utils/app-utils.i
+++ b/src/app-utils/app-utils.i
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ typedef int GNCOptionDBHandle;
 QofBook * gnc_get_current_book (void);
 Account * gnc_get_current_root_account (void);
 
+%newobject gnc_gettext_helper;
 char * gnc_gettext_helper(const char *string);
 
 GNCOptionDB * gnc_option_db_new(SCM guile_options);