diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index f01617f3c..a678d4b13 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -25,3 +25,7 @@ global-exclude *.py[co~]
 global-exclude *.py.orig
 global-exclude *.py.rej
 global-exclude .git
+
+# Maybe we should exclude the compiled locale files? see https://askubuntu.com/a/144139
+# We include both source (.po) and compiled (.mo) locale files atm (if present).
+# exclude electrum/locale/*/LC_MESSAGES/electrum.mo
diff --git a/contrib/build-linux/appimage/build.sh b/contrib/build-linux/appimage/build.sh
index 7cf47fa5d..cf078bb90 100755
--- a/contrib/build-linux/appimage/build.sh
+++ b/contrib/build-linux/appimage/build.sh
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ info "preparing electrum-locale."
     if ! which msgfmt > /dev/null 2>&1; then
         fail "Please install gettext"
     fi
+    # we want the binary to have only compiled (.mo) locale files; not source (.po) files
+    rm -rf "$PROJECT_ROOT/electrum/locale/"
     for i in ./locale/*; do
         dir="$PROJECT_ROOT/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES"
         mkdir -p $dir
diff --git a/contrib/build-linux/sdist/make_tgz b/contrib/build-linux/sdist/make_tgz
index f9d556c49..81b672f91 100755
--- a/contrib/build-linux/sdist/make_tgz
+++ b/contrib/build-linux/sdist/make_tgz
@@ -16,17 +16,20 @@ fi
 git submodule update --init
 
 (
-    rm -rf "$LOCALE"
     cd "$CONTRIB/deterministic-build/electrum-locale/"
     if ! which msgfmt > /dev/null 2>&1; then
         echo "Please install gettext"
         exit 1
     fi
+    # We include both source (.po) and compiled (.mo) locale files in the source dist.
+    # Maybe we should exclude the compiled locale files? see https://askubuntu.com/a/144139
+    # (also see MANIFEST.in)
+    rm -rf "$LOCALE"
     for i in ./locale/*; do
-        dir="$ROOT_FOLDER"/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES
-        mkdir -p $dir
-        msgfmt --output-file=$dir/electrum.mo $i/electrum.po || true
-        cp $i/electrum.po "$ROOT_FOLDER"/electrum/$i/electrum.po
+        dir="$ROOT_FOLDER/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES"
+        mkdir -p "$dir"
+        msgfmt --output-file="$dir/electrum.mo" "$i/electrum.po" || true
+        cp $i/electrum.po "$ROOT_FOLDER/electrum/$i/electrum.po"
     done
 )
 
diff --git a/contrib/build-wine/build-electrum-git.sh b/contrib/build-wine/build-electrum-git.sh
index af12bd529..991f5fec1 100755
--- a/contrib/build-wine/build-electrum-git.sh
+++ b/contrib/build-wine/build-electrum-git.sh
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@ pushd ./contrib/deterministic-build/electrum-locale
 if ! which msgfmt > /dev/null 2>&1; then
     fail "Please install gettext"
 fi
+# we want the binary to have only compiled (.mo) locale files; not source (.po) files
+rm -rf "$WINEPREFIX/drive_c/electrum/electrum/locale/"
 for i in ./locale/*; do
-    dir=$WINEPREFIX/drive_c/electrum/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES
+    dir="$WINEPREFIX/drive_c/electrum/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES"
     mkdir -p $dir
-    msgfmt --output-file=$dir/electrum.mo $i/electrum.po || true
+    msgfmt --output-file="$dir/electrum.mo" "$i/electrum.po" || true
 done
 popd
 
diff --git a/contrib/osx/make_osx b/contrib/osx/make_osx
index f46a0b0cd..19519b86c 100755
--- a/contrib/osx/make_osx
+++ b/contrib/osx/make_osx
@@ -105,10 +105,12 @@ info "generating locale"
         brew link --force gettext
     fi
     cd "$CONTRIB"/deterministic-build/electrum-locale
+    # we want the binary to have only compiled (.mo) locale files; not source (.po) files
+    rm -rf "$ROOT_FOLDER/electrum/locale/"
     for i in ./locale/*; do
-        dir="$ROOT_FOLDER"/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES
+        dir="$ROOT_FOLDER/electrum/$i/LC_MESSAGES"
         mkdir -p $dir
-        msgfmt --output-file=$dir/electrum.mo $i/electrum.po || true
+        msgfmt --output-file="$dir/electrum.mo" "$i/electrum.po" || true
     done
 ) || fail "failed generating locale"