diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index c123bc191d..6cf190e344 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -16,22 +16,6 @@ from waflib.Tools.compiler_cxx import cxx_compiler
 c_compiler['darwin'] = ['gcc', 'clang' ]
 cxx_compiler['darwin'] = ['g++', 'clang++' ]
 
-class i18n(BuildContext):
-    cmd = 'i18n'
-    fun = 'i18n'
-
-class i18n_pot(BuildContext):
-    cmd = 'i18n_pot'
-    fun = 'i18n_pot'
-
-class i18n_po(BuildContext):
-    cmd = 'i18n_po'
-    fun = 'i18n_po'
-
-class i18n_mo(BuildContext):
-    cmd = 'i18n_mo'
-    fun = 'i18n_mo'
-
 compiler_flags_dictionaries= {
     'gcc' : {
         # Flags required when building a debug build
@@ -1648,16 +1632,36 @@ def build(bld):
     if bld.env['RUN_TESTS']:
         bld.add_post_fun(test)
 
+# The following i18n command implementations need a BuildContext (with .env),
+# and we thus create BuildContext subclasses that define the `cmd` command to
+# execute the `fun` function (which often will recurse).
+
+class _i18n_build_context(BuildContext):
+    cmd = 'i18n'
+    fun = 'i18n'
+
 def i18n(bld):
     print(bld.env)
     bld.recurse (i18n_children)
 
+class _i18n_pot_build_context(BuildContext):
+    cmd = 'i18n_pot'
+    fun = 'i18n_pot'
+
 def i18n_pot(bld):
     bld.recurse (i18n_children)
 
+class _i18n_po_build_context(BuildContext):
+    cmd = 'i18n_po'
+    fun = 'i18n_po'
+
 def i18n_po(bld):
     bld.recurse (i18n_children)
 
+class _i18n_mo_build_context(BuildContext):
+    cmd = 'i18n_mo'
+    fun = 'i18n_mo'
+
 def i18n_mo(bld):
     bld.recurse (i18n_children)