diff --git a/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.header b/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.header
index faaf607c61..c2091d2829 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.header
+++ b/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.header
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.header,v 1.6 2009/06/03 20:24:51 tgl Exp $ */
+/* $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.header,v 1.7 2009/06/10 23:11:52 petere Exp $ */
 
 /* Copyright comment */
 %{
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@
  */
 #define base_yylex filtered_base_yylex
 
+/*
+ * This is only here so the string gets into the POT.  Bison uses it
+ * internally.
+ */
+#define bison_gettext_dummy gettext_noop("syntax error")
+
 /*
  * Variables containing simple states.
  */
diff --git a/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.trailer b/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.trailer
index 718e74a9b3..1b287e4c65 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.trailer
+++ b/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.trailer
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.trailer,v 1.8 2009/06/03 20:24:51 tgl Exp $ */
+/* $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/interfaces/ecpg/preproc/ecpg.trailer,v 1.9 2009/06/10 23:11:52 petere Exp $ */
 
 statements: /*EMPTY*/
                 | statements statement
@@ -1987,8 +1987,9 @@ ecpg_into: INTO into_list	{ $$ = EMPTY; }
 
 void base_yyerror(const char *error)
 {
+	/* translator: %s is typically the translation of "syntax error" */
 	mmerror(PARSE_ERROR, ET_ERROR, "%s at or near \"%s\"",
-			error, token_start ? token_start : yytext);
+			_(error), token_start ? token_start : yytext);
 }
 
 void parser_init(void)