diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-build-config.h.meson b/clutter/clutter/clutter-build-config.h.meson
index 7ca19deab..a859f78f9 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-build-config.h.meson
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-build-config.h.meson
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+/* The prefix for our gettext translation domains. */
+#mesondefine GETTEXT_PACKAGE
+
 /* Mutter version */
 #mesondefine MUTTER_VERSION
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c
index fbccefc0d..be9f74441 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #include "clutter-build-config.h"
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <glib/gi18n-lib.h>
 
 #include "clutter-actor-private.h"
 #include "clutter-backend-private.h"
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ clutter_context_get_pango_fontmap (void)
   return self->font_map;
 }
 
-static ClutterTextDirection
+ClutterTextDirection
 clutter_get_text_direction (void)
 {
   ClutterTextDirection dir = CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_LTR;
@@ -220,8 +221,13 @@ clutter_get_text_direction (void)
     }
   else
     {
-      /* Re-use GTK+'s LTR/RTL handling */
-      const char *e = g_dgettext ("gtk30", "default:LTR");
+      /*
+       * Translate to default:RTL if you want your widgets
+       * to be RTL, otherwise translate to default:LTR.
+       * Do *not* translate it to "predefinito:LTR", if it
+       * it isn't default:LTR or default:RTL it will not work
+       */
+      const char *e = _("default:LTR");
 
       if (strcmp (e, "default:RTL") == 0)
         dir = CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL;
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h
index a9b97eb1b..b9854956b 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.h
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ void                    clutter_remove_debug_flags              (ClutterDebugFla
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 void                    clutter_debug_set_max_render_time_constant (int max_render_time_constant_us);
 
+CLUTTER_EXPORT
+ClutterTextDirection    clutter_get_text_direction (void);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* _CLUTTER_MAIN_H__ */
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/meson.build b/clutter/clutter/meson.build
index b4ee4b782..854e4918f 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/meson.build
+++ b/clutter/clutter/meson.build
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ clutter_built_private_headers = []
 
 cdata = configuration_data()
 cdata.set_quoted('MUTTER_VERSION', meson.project_version())
+cdata.set_quoted('GETTEXT_PACKAGE', meson.project_name())
 cdata.set('CLUTTER_DRIVERS', '"*"')
 cdata.set('HAVE_PANGO_FT2', have_pango_ft2)
 
diff --git a/po/POTFILES.in b/po/POTFILES.in
index ebafa966e..d671ba4ab 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/POTFILES.in
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ src/backends/meta-input-settings.c
 src/backends/meta-monitor.c
 src/backends/meta-monitor-manager.c
 src/backends/x11/meta-clutter-backend-x11.c
+src/clutter/clutter/clutter-main.c
 src/compositor/compositor.c
 src/compositor/meta-background.c
 src/core/bell.c
diff --git a/src/core/util.c b/src/core/util.c
index 5b62279ec..ea26bc2f0 100644
--- a/src/core/util.c
+++ b/src/core/util.c
@@ -508,11 +508,11 @@ meta_external_binding_name_for_action (guint keybinding_action)
 MetaLocaleDirection
 meta_get_locale_direction (void)
 {
-  switch (gtk_get_locale_direction ())
+  switch (clutter_get_text_direction ())
     {
-    case GTK_TEXT_DIR_LTR:
+    case CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_LTR:
       return META_LOCALE_DIRECTION_LTR;
-    case GTK_TEXT_DIR_RTL:
+    case CLUTTER_TEXT_DIRECTION_RTL:
       return META_LOCALE_DIRECTION_RTL;
     default:
       g_assert_not_reached ();