diff --git a/src/client/plugin/desktop-notifications/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/desktop-notifications/meson.build
index d09e723b..315f8242 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/desktop-notifications/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/desktop-notifications/meson.build
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ shared_module(
   install_rpath: client_lib_dir,
 )
 
-i18n.merge_file(
+custom_target(
+  plugin_data,
   input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
   output: plugin_data,
-  type: 'desktop',
-  po_dir: po_dir,
+  command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
   install: true,
   install_dir: plugin_dest
-)
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/email-templates/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/email-templates/meson.build
index 835eb72c..ecebaf45 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/email-templates/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/email-templates/meson.build
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ shared_module(
   install_rpath: client_lib_dir,
 )
 
-i18n.merge_file(
+custom_target(
+  plugin_data,
   input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
   output: plugin_data,
-  type: 'desktop',
-  po_dir: po_dir,
+  command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
   install: true,
   install_dir: plugin_dest
-)
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/folder-highlight/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/folder-highlight/meson.build
index 2abd611d..28e99720 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/folder-highlight/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/folder-highlight/meson.build
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ shared_module(
   install_rpath: client_lib_dir,
 )
 
-i18n.merge_file(
-  input: files(plugin_data + '.desktop.in'),
+custom_target(
+  plugin_data,
+  input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
   output: plugin_data,
-  type: 'desktop',
-  po_dir: po_dir,
+  command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
   install: true,
   install_dir: plugin_dest
-)
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/mail-merge/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/mail-merge/meson.build
index fd3e9f0e..40209bd8 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/mail-merge/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/mail-merge/meson.build
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ plugin = shared_module(
   install_rpath: client_lib_dir
 )
 
-i18n.merge_file(
+custom_target(
+  plugin_data,
   input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
   output: plugin_data,
-  type: 'desktop',
-  po_dir: po_dir,
+  command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
   install: true,
   install_dir: plugin_dest
 )
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/meson.build
index b795237e..579de6a6 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/meson.build
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@ plugin_c_args = geary_c_args
 plugin_data_src_suffix = '.desktop.in'
 plugin_data_suffix = '.plugin'
 
+# LibPeas plugins are not using a valid .desktop keyword
+# Force msgfmt to translate Description
+msgfmt_plugin_cmd = [
+  find_program('msgfmt'),
+  '--desktop',
+  '--keyword=Name',
+  '--keyword=Description',
+  '-d', po_dir,
+  '--template=@INPUT@',
+  '--output=@OUTPUT@'
+]
+
 subdir('desktop-notifications')
 subdir('email-templates')
 subdir('folder-highlight')
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/messaging-menu/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/messaging-menu/meson.build
index c89d2cba..a14a582e 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/messaging-menu/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/messaging-menu/meson.build
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ if libmessagingmenu_dep.found()
     install_rpath: client_lib_dir,
   )
 
-  i18n.merge_file(
+  custom_target(
+    plugin_data,
     input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
     output: plugin_data,
-    type: 'desktop',
-    po_dir: po_dir,
+    command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
     install: true,
     install_dir: plugin_dest
   )
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/notification-badge/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/notification-badge/meson.build
index 008c4a85..0e8457c1 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/notification-badge/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/notification-badge/meson.build
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ shared_module(
   install_rpath: client_lib_dir,
 )
 
-i18n.merge_file(
+custom_target(
+  plugin_data,
   input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
   output: plugin_data,
-  type: 'desktop',
-  po_dir: po_dir,
+  command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
   install: true,
   install_dir: plugin_dest
-)
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/sent-sound/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/sent-sound/meson.build
index 7228ecc2..9c91a8c8 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/sent-sound/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/sent-sound/meson.build
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ shared_module(
   install_rpath: client_lib_dir,
 )
 
-i18n.merge_file(
+custom_target(
+  plugin_data,
   input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
   output: plugin_data,
-  type: 'desktop',
-  po_dir: po_dir,
+  command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
   install: true,
   install_dir: plugin_dest
-)
+)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/client/plugin/special-folders/meson.build b/src/client/plugin/special-folders/meson.build
index 347d40ea..8a6dabff 100644
--- a/src/client/plugin/special-folders/meson.build
+++ b/src/client/plugin/special-folders/meson.build
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ shared_module(
   install_rpath: client_lib_dir,
 )
 
-i18n.merge_file(
+custom_target(
+  plugin_data,
   input: files(plugin_data + plugin_data_src_suffix),
   output: plugin_data,
-  type: 'desktop',
-  po_dir: po_dir,
+  command: msgfmt_plugin_cmd,
   install: true,
   install_dir: plugin_dest
-)
+)
\ No newline at end of file