diff --git a/src/bin/fish.rs b/src/bin/fish.rs
index 11f504cc9..cefe4654c 100644
--- a/src/bin/fish.rs
+++ b/src/bin/fish.rs
@@ -385,7 +385,8 @@ fn throwing_main() -> i32 {
         set_libc_locales(/*log_ok=*/ false)
     };
 
-    fish::localization::initialize_gettext();
+    #[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
+    fish::localization::initialize_localization();
 
     // Enable debug categories set in FISH_DEBUG.
     // This is in *addition* to the ones given via --debug.
diff --git a/src/builtins/fish_indent.rs b/src/builtins/fish_indent.rs
index 78f75c03a..7bcdb3cc6 100644
--- a/src/builtins/fish_indent.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/fish_indent.rs
@@ -930,7 +930,8 @@ fn throwing_main() -> i32 {
     unsafe {
         set_libc_locales(/*log_ok=*/ false)
     };
-    crate::localization::initialize_gettext();
+    #[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
+    crate::localization::initialize_localization();
     env_init(None, true, false);
 
     // Only set these here so you can't set them via the builtin.
diff --git a/src/builtins/fish_key_reader.rs b/src/builtins/fish_key_reader.rs
index 09ed0ff3b..a69c724ee 100644
--- a/src/builtins/fish_key_reader.rs
+++ b/src/builtins/fish_key_reader.rs
@@ -289,7 +289,8 @@ fn throwing_main() -> i32 {
     set_interactive_session(true);
     topic_monitor_init();
     threads::init();
-    crate::localization::initialize_gettext();
+    #[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
+    crate::localization::initialize_localization();
     env_init(None, true, false);
     reader_init(false);
     if let Some(features_var) = EnvStack::globals().get(L!("fish_features")) {
diff --git a/src/localization/gettext.rs b/src/localization/gettext.rs
index 3c3a3f2c0..e8435c4ba 100644
--- a/src/localization/gettext.rs
+++ b/src/localization/gettext.rs
@@ -1,24 +1,7 @@
-#[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
-use crate::env::EnvStack;
 use fish_wchar::{L, WString, wstr};
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use std::sync::Mutex;
 
-#[cfg(not(feature = "localize-messages"))]
-pub fn initialize_gettext() {}
-
-/// This function only exists to provide a way for initializing gettext before an [`EnvStack`] is
-/// available. Without this, early error messages cannot be localized.
-#[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
-pub fn initialize_gettext() {
-    let vars = EnvStack::new();
-    env_stack_set_from_env!(vars, "LANGUAGE");
-    env_stack_set_from_env!(vars, "LC_ALL");
-    env_stack_set_from_env!(vars, "LC_MESSAGES");
-    env_stack_set_from_env!(vars, "LANG");
-    super::update_from_env(&vars);
-}
-
 /// Use this function to localize a message.
 /// The [`MaybeStatic`] wrapper type allows avoiding allocating and leaking a new [`wstr`] when no
 /// localization is found and the input is returned, but as a static reference.
diff --git a/src/localization/mod.rs b/src/localization/mod.rs
index 45290b354..ef75df866 100644
--- a/src/localization/mod.rs
+++ b/src/localization/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 mod gettext;
 pub use gettext::{
-    LocalizableString, initialize_gettext, localizable_consts, localizable_string, wgettext,
-    wgettext_fmt,
+    LocalizableString, localizable_consts, localizable_string, wgettext, wgettext_fmt,
 };
 #[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
 mod settings;
@@ -10,3 +9,18 @@
     list_available_languages, status_language, unset_from_status_language_builtin, update_from_env,
     update_from_status_language_builtin,
 };
+
+#[cfg(feature = "localize-messages")]
+/// This function only exists to provide a way for initializing gettext before an `EnvStack` is
+/// available. Without this, early error messages cannot be localized.
+pub fn initialize_localization() {
+    use crate::env::EnvStack;
+    use fish_wchar::L;
+
+    let env = EnvStack::new();
+    env_stack_set_from_env!(env, "LANGUAGE");
+    env_stack_set_from_env!(env, "LC_ALL");
+    env_stack_set_from_env!(env, "LC_MESSAGES");
+    env_stack_set_from_env!(env, "LANG");
+    update_from_env(&env);
+}