diff --git a/sphinx/locale/__init__.py b/sphinx/locale/__init__.py
index 44ad64304..135b76b9d 100644
--- a/sphinx/locale/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/locale/__init__.py
@@ -239,3 +239,13 @@ def init(locale_dirs, language, catalog='sphinx'):
     if hasattr(translator, 'ugettext'):
         translator.gettext = translator.ugettext
     return translator, has_translation
+
+
+def get_translator(catalog='sphinx'):
+    global translators
+    translator = translators.get(catalog)
+    if translator is None:
+        translator = gettext.NullTranslations()
+    if hasattr(translator, 'ugettext'):
+        translator.gettext = translator.ugettext
+    return translator
diff --git a/sphinx/util/template.py b/sphinx/util/template.py
index 7cb897e7d..01d365994 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/template.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/template.py
@@ -14,12 +14,14 @@ from jinja2.sandbox import SandboxedEnvironment
 
 from sphinx import package_dir
 from sphinx.jinja2glue import SphinxFileSystemLoader
+from sphinx.locale import get_translator
 
 
 class BaseRenderer(object):
     def __init__(self, loader=None):
-        self.env = SandboxedEnvironment(loader=loader)
+        self.env = SandboxedEnvironment(loader=loader, extensions=['jinja2.ext.i18n'])
         self.env.filters['repr'] = repr
+        self.env.install_gettext_translations(get_translator())
 
     def render(self, template_name, context):
         return self.env.get_template(template_name).render(context)