diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 5f1d2ca9..b99180b5 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -104,6 +104,15 @@ jsbeautify:
 	@if [ "$(JS_BEAUTIFY)" = "" ]; then echo "Command 'js-beautify' not found"; exit 1; fi
 	$(FIND) static/ \( -path static/js/libs -o -path static/translation \) -prune -o -name "*.js" -exec $(JS_BEAUTIFY) -t -o {}.new {} \; -exec mv -f {}.new {} \;
 
+build-i18n:
+	cd $(CURDIR)/src/i18n && $(MAKE) build
+
+extract-i18n:
+	cd $(CURDIR)/src/i18n && $(MAKE) extract
+
+update-i18n:
+	cd $(CURDIR)/src/i18n && $(MAKE) update
+
 release: GOPATH = "$(DIST):$(VENDOR):$(CURDIR)"
 release: LDFLAGS = -X main.version $(PACKAGE_VERSION) -X main.defaultConfig $(CONFIG_PATH)/$(CONFIG_FILE)
 release: OUTPUT = $(DIST_BIN)
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 453f3b52..0ee998c7 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@ AC_PREREQ([2.53])
 
 AC_INIT([spreed-webrtc],[unknown],[opensource@struktur.de],[],[https://github.com/strukturag/spreed-webrtc])
 
+I18N_VERSION="1.0"
+I18N_PROJECT="Spreed WebRTC"
+I18N_COPYRIGHT="struktur AG"
+I18N_BUG_ADDRESS="simon@struktur.de"
+AC_SUBST(I18N_VERSION)
+AC_SUBST(I18N_PROJECT)
+AC_SUBST(I18N_COPYRIGHT)
+AC_SUBST(I18N_BUG_ADDRESS)
+
 # minimum required versions
 GO_VERSION_MIN=1.1
 NODEJS_VERSION_MIN=0.6.0
@@ -43,19 +52,23 @@ AC_PROG_MKDIR_P
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_GREP
 AC_PROG_SED
+AC_PROG_AWK
 
 AC_SUBST(MKDIR_P)
 AC_SUBST(INSTALL)
 AC_SUBST(GREP)
 AC_SUBST(SED)
+AC_SUBST(AWK)
 
 AC_PATH_PROGS([FIND],[find])
 AC_PATH_PROGS([JSHINT],[jshint])
 AC_PATH_PROGS([JS_BEAUTIFY],[js-beautify])
+AC_PATH_PROGS([PYTHON],[python2 python])
 
 AC_SUBST(FIND)
 AC_SUBST(JSHINT)
 AC_SUBST(JS_BEAUTIFY)
+AC_SUBST(PYTHON)
 
 AC_PATH_PROGS([GO],[go])
 if test x"${GO}" == x"" ; then
@@ -74,46 +87,74 @@ else
     AX_COMPARE_VERSION([$NODEJS_VERSION], [lt], [$NODEJS_VERSION_MIN],
         [AC_MSG_ERROR([Please install node.js $NODEJS_VERSION_MIN or newer before trying to build spreed-webrtc (found node.js $NODEJS_VERSION).])])
     AX_COMPARE_VERSION([$NODEJS_VERSION], [lt], [$NODEJS_VERSION_STYLES_MIN],
-        [AC_MSG_WARN([Please install node.js NODEJS_VERSION_STYLES_MIN or newer before trying to build styles (found node.js $NODEJS_VERSION).])])
+        [AC_MSG_WARN([Please install node.js $NODEJS_VERSION_STYLES_MIN or newer before trying to build styles (found node.js $NODEJS_VERSION).])
+        NODEJS_SUPPORT_STYLES=no],[NODEJS_SUPPORT_STYLES=yes])
 fi
 AC_SUBST(NODEJS)
+AC_SUBST(NODEJS_SUPPORT_STYLES)
 
 AC_PATH_PROGS([SASS],[sass])
 if test x"${SASS}" == x"" ; then
-    AC_MSG_WARN([Please install sass before trying to build spreed-webrtc.])
-    SASS=sass
+    AC_MSG_WARN([Please install sass before trying to build styles.])
 else
     SASS_VERSION=`$SASS --version | $SED 's/^Sass //' | $SED 's/ .*//'`
     AX_COMPARE_VERSION([$SASS_VERSION], [lt], [$SASS_VERSION_MIN],
-        [AC_MSG_WARN([Please install sass $SASS_VERSION_MIN or newer before trying to build styles (found sass $SASS_VERSION).])])
+        [AC_MSG_WARN([Please install sass $SASS_VERSION_MIN or newer before trying to build styles (found sass $SASS_VERSION).])
+        SASS_SUPPORT_STYLES=no],[SASS_SUPPORT_STYLES=yes])
 fi
 AC_SUBST(SASS)
 
 AC_PATH_PROGS([COMPASS],[compass])
 if test x"${COMPASS}" == x"" ; then
     AC_MSG_WARN([Please install compass before trying to build styles.])
-    COMPASS=compass
 fi
 AC_SUBST(COMPASS)
 
-AC_MSG_CHECKING([for compass support in sass])
-tempfile=`mktemp`
-$SASS --compass $tempfile > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
-sass_compass=$?
-rm $tempfile
-if test x"${sass_compass}" != x"0" ; then
-    AC_MSG_RESULT([not available])
-    AC_MSG_WARN([Please install compass so it can be used using "sass --compass ...".])
+if test x"${SASS}" != x"" ; then
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for compass support in sass])
+    tempfile=`mktemp`
+    $SASS --compass $tempfile > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
+    sass_compass=$?
+    rm $tempfile
+    if test x"${sass_compass}" != x"0" ; then
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([not available])
+        AC_MSG_WARN([Please install compass so it can be used using "sass --compass ...".])
+        SASS_SUPPORT_STYLES=no
+    else
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([ok])
+    fi
 fi
-AC_MSG_RESULT([ok])
+AC_SUBST(SASS_SUPPORT_STYLES)
 
 AC_PATH_PROGS([AUTOPREFIXER],[autoprefixer])
 if test x"${AUTOPREFIXER}" == x"" ; then
     AC_MSG_WARN([Please install autoprefixer before trying to build styles.])
-    AUTOPREFIXER=autoprefixer
 fi
 AC_SUBST(AUTOPREFIXER)
 
+AC_PATH_PROGS([PYBABEL],[pybabel])
+if test x"${PYBABEL}" == x"" ; then
+    AC_MSG_WARN([Please install pybabel before trying to build i18n.])
+fi
+AC_SUBST(PYBABEL)
+
+AC_PATH_PROGS([NPM],[npm])
+NODEJS_SUPPORT_PO2JSON=no
+if test x"${NPM}" != x"" ; then
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for po2json support in node.js])
+    found_po2json=`$NPM list --global 2> /dev/null | $GREP po2json`
+    if test x"${found_po2json}" == x"" ; then
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([not available])
+        AC_MSG_WARN([Please install the node.js module po2json to build i18n.])
+    else
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([ok])
+        NODEJS_SUPPORT_PO2JSON=yes
+    fi
+else
+    AC_MSG_WARN([Please install npm and the the node.js module po2json to build i18n.])
+fi
+AC_SUBST(NODEJS_SUPPORT_PO2JSON)
+
 VERSION=`dpkg-parsechangelog | sed -n 's/^Version: //p'`
 PACKAGE_VERSION="$VERSION"
 PACKAGE_STRING="$PACKAGE_NAME $PACKAGE_VERSION"
@@ -122,6 +163,8 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(PACKAGE_VERSION, ["$PACKAGE_VERSION"], [Define to the version
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(PACKAGE_STRING, ["$PACKAGE_STRING"], [Define to the full name and version of this package.])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
-    Makefile src/styles/Makefile
+    Makefile
+    src/styles/Makefile
+    src/i18n/Makefile
 ])
 AC_OUTPUT
diff --git a/src/i18n/Makefile b/src/i18n/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index be56e541..00000000
--- a/src/i18n/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-VERSION := "1.0"
-PROJECT := "Spreed WebRTC"
-COPYRIGHT := "struktur AG"
-EMAIL := "simon@struktur.de"
-ROOT := "$(CURDIR)/../.."
-LANGUAGES := $(shell find ./ -iname '*.po' -printf '%f\n' | sed 's/\.po$$//' | sed 's/\messages-//')
-
-# Tools
-NODEJS := nodejs
-PYBABEL := pybabel
-NODE_PATH := /usr/local/lib/node_modules:/usr/lib/node_modules
-PYTHON := python
-
-build: update
-	for lang in $(LANGUAGES) ; do \
-		NODE_PATH=$(NODE_PATH) $(NODEJS) helpers/po2json messages-$$lang.po $(ROOT)/static/translation/messages-$$lang.json ; \
-	done
-	$(PYTHON) helpers/languages.py >$(ROOT)/static/translation/languages.js
-
-extract:
-	$(PYBABEL) extract -F babel.cfg --no-default-keywords -k _n:1,2 -k _ \
-		--no-location --project=$(PROJECT) --version=$(VERSION) \
-		--copyright-holder=$(COPYRIGHT) --msgid-bugs-address=$(EMAIL) \
-		-o messages.pot \
-		$(ROOT)/html \
-		$(ROOT)/static/partials \
-		$(ROOT)/static/partials/page \
-		$(ROOT)/static/js/ \
-		$(ROOT)/static/js/controllers \
-		$(ROOT)/static/js/directives \
-		$(ROOT)/static/js/services \
-		$(ROOT)/static/js/filters
-
-update:
-	for lang in $(LANGUAGES) ; do \
-		l=$$lang ; \
-		if echo $$l | grep -q -; then \
-			l=`echo $$lang | awk '{split($$0,a,"-"); printf "%s_%s", a[1],toupper(a[2])}'` ; \
-		fi ; \
-		$(PYBABEL) update -l $$l -i messages.pot -o messages-$$lang.po ; \
-	done
-
diff --git a/src/i18n/Makefile.am b/src/i18n/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8adadf8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/i18n/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#
+# Spreed WebRTC.
+# Copyright (C) 2013-2014 struktur AG
+#
+# This file is part of Spreed WebRTC.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = -Wno-portability
+
+ROOT=$(CURDIR)/../..
+
+build: LANGUAGES = $(shell $(FIND) ./ -iname '*.po' -printf '%f\n' | $(SED) 's/\.po$$//' | $(SED) 's/\messages-//')
+build: update
+	@if [ "$(NODEJS_SUPPORT_PO2JSON)" = "no" ]; then echo "Node.js module 'po2json' not found, required when building i18n"; exit 1; fi
+	@if [ "$(PYTHON)" = "" ]; then echo "Command 'python' not found, required when building i18n"; exit 1; fi
+	for lang in $(LANGUAGES) ; do \
+		$(NODEJS) "$(CURDIR)/helpers/po2json" "$(CURDIR)/messages-$$lang.po" "$(ROOT)/static/translation/messages-$$lang.json" ; \
+	done
+	$(PYTHON) "$(CURDIR)/helpers/languages.py" > "$(ROOT)/static/translation/languages.js"
+
+extract:
+	@if [ "$(PYBABEL)" = "" ]; then echo "Command 'pybabel' not found, required when extracting i18n"; exit 1; fi
+	$(PYBABEL) extract -F babel.cfg --no-default-keywords -k _n:1,2 -k _ \
+		--no-location --project="$(I18N_PROJECT)" --version="$(I18N_VERSION)" \
+		--copyright-holder="$(I18N_COPYRIGHT)" --msgid-bugs-address="$(I18N_BUG_ADDRESS)" \
+		-o "$(CURDIR)/messages.pot" \
+		"$(ROOT)/html" \
+		"$(ROOT)/static/partials" \
+		"$(ROOT)/static/partials/page" \
+		"$(ROOT)/static/js" \
+		"$(ROOT)/static/js/controllers" \
+		"$(ROOT)/static/js/directives" \
+		"$(ROOT)/static/js/services" \
+		"$(ROOT)/static/js/filters"
+
+update: LANGUAGES = $(shell $(FIND) ./ -iname '*.po' -printf '%f\n' | $(SED) 's/\.po$$//' | $(SED) 's/\messages-//')
+update:
+	@if [ "$(PYBABEL)" = "" ]; then echo "Command 'pybabel' not found, required when updating i18n"; exit 1; fi
+	for lang in $(LANGUAGES) ; do \
+		l=$$lang ; \
+		if echo $$l | grep -q -; then \
+			l=`echo $$lang | $(AWK) '{split($$0,a,"-"); printf "%s_%s", a[1],toupper(a[2])}'` ; \
+		fi ; \
+		$(PYBABEL) update -l $$l -i "$(CURDIR)/messages.pot" -o "$(CURDIR)/messages-$$lang.po" ; \
+	done
diff --git a/src/styles/Makefile.am b/src/styles/Makefile.am
index 4caed3d7..f66daa60 100644
--- a/src/styles/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/styles/Makefile.am
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ AUTOPREFIXER_BROWSER_SUPPORT := "> 1%, last 2 versions, Firefox ESR, Opera 12.1"
 STATIC = ../../static
 
 styles:
+	@if [ "$(SASS)" = "" ]; then echo "Command 'sass' not found, required when building styles"; exit 1; fi
+	@if [ "$(AUTOPREFIXER)" = "" ]; then echo "Command 'autoprefixer' not found, required when building styles"; exit 1; fi
+	@if [ "$(NODEJS_SUPPORT_STYLES)" = "no" ]; then echo "Your version of node.js does not support building styles"; exit 1; fi
+	@if [ "$(SASS_SUPPORT_STYLES)" = "no" ]; then echo "Your version of sass does not support building styles"; exit 1; fi
 	$(MKDIR_P) $(STATIC)/css
 	$(SASS) --compass --scss $(SASSFLAGS) \
 		$(CURDIR)/main.scss:$(STATIC)/css/main.min.css