diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3d1074554..bbcb5b630 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -96,12 +96,19 @@ endif()
 # until ready
 set(WITH_LOCALE_DEFAULT OFF)
 
+if (MSVC OR ANDROID)
+  set(USE_MOMO_DEFAULT ON)
+else()
+  set(USE_MOMO_DEFAULT OFF)
+endif()
+
 option(BUILD_GUI "Build the tracker (disable to build only a headless player)" ${BUILD_GUI_DEFAULT})
 option(WITH_LOCALE "Use libintl for language support" ${WITH_LOCALE_DEFAULT})
 option(USE_RTMIDI "Build with MIDI support using RtMidi." ${USE_RTMIDI_DEFAULT})
 option(USE_SDL2 "Build with SDL2. Required to build with GUI." ${USE_SDL2_DEFAULT})
 option(USE_SNDFILE "Build with libsndfile. Required in order to work with audio files." ${USE_SNDFILE_DEFAULT})
 option(USE_BACKWARD "Use backward-cpp to print a backtrace on crash/abort." ${USE_BACKWARD_DEFAULT})
+option(USE_MOMO "Build a libintl implementation instead of using the system one." ${USE_MOMO_DEFAULT})
 option(WITH_JACK "Whether to build with JACK support. Auto-detects if JACK is available" ${WITH_JACK_DEFAULT})
 option(WITH_PORTAUDIO "Whether to build with PortAudio for audio output." ${WITH_PORTAUDIO_DEFAULT})
 option(WITH_RENDER_SDL "Whether to build with the SDL_Renderer render backend." ${WITH_RENDER_SDL_DEFAULT})
@@ -176,17 +183,26 @@ if (WIN32)
 endif()
 
 if (WITH_LOCALE)
-  if ("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_LESS "3.2")
-    message(FATAL_ERROR "CMake 3.2 or later required for locale support.")
-  else()
-    include(FindIntl)
-    if (NOT Intl_FOUND)
-      message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not find libintl!")
-    endif()
+  if (USE_MOMO)
+    add_library(momo STATIC src/momo/momo.c)
     list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_DEFINES HAVE_LOCALE)
-    list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_INCLUDE_DIRS ${Intl_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-    list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_LIBRARIES ${Intl_LIBRARIES})
-    message(STATUS "Using libintl")
+    list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_DEFINES HAVE_MOMO)
+    list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_INCLUDE_DIRS src/momo)
+    list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_LIBRARIES momo)
+    message(STATUS "Using libintl (Momo)")
+  else()
+    if ("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_LESS "3.2")
+      message(FATAL_ERROR "CMake 3.2 or later required for locale support.")
+    else()
+      include(FindIntl)
+      if (NOT Intl_FOUND)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not find libintl! Try enabling USE_MOMO.")
+      endif()
+      list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_DEFINES HAVE_LOCALE)
+      list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_INCLUDE_DIRS ${Intl_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+      list(APPEND DEPENDENCIES_LIBRARIES ${Intl_LIBRARIES})
+      message(STATUS "Using libintl (system)")
+    endif()
   endif()
 endif()
 
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.h b/src/gui/gui.h
index e6f98e506..0f35a3748 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.h
+++ b/src/gui/gui.h
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ enum FurnaceGUIRenderBackend {
 #define GUI_DECORATIONS_DEFAULT 1
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_MOMO
+#define ngettext momo_ngettext
+#endif
+
 // TODO:
 // - add colors for FM envelope and waveform
 // - maybe add "alternate" color for FM modulators/carriers (a bit difficult)
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index d9a30e60e..e24d7a147 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,16 @@ struct sigaction termsa;
 #define TUT_INTRO_PLAYED false
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_MOMO
+#define TA_SETLOCALE momo_setlocale
+#define TA_BINDTEXTDOMAIN momo_bindtextdomain
+#define TA_TEXTDOMAIN momo_textdomain
+#else
+#define TA_SETLOCALE setlocale
+#define TA_BINDTEXTDOMAIN bindtextdomain
+#define TA_TEXTDOMAIN textdomain
+#endif
+
 #include "cli/cli.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GUI
@@ -491,22 +501,22 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LOCALE
   const char* localeRet=NULL;
-  if ((localeRet=setlocale(LC_CTYPE,""))==NULL) {
+  if ((localeRet=TA_SETLOCALE(LC_CTYPE,""))==NULL) {
     logE("could not set locale (CTYPE)!");
   } else {
     logV("locale: %s",localeRet);
   }
-  if ((localeRet=setlocale(LC_MESSAGES,""))==NULL) {
+  if ((localeRet=TA_SETLOCALE(LC_MESSAGES,""))==NULL) {
     logE("could not set locale (MESSAGES)!");
   } else {
     logV("locale: %s",localeRet);
   }
-  if ((localeRet=bindtextdomain("furnace","locale"))==NULL) {
+  if ((localeRet=TA_BINDTEXTDOMAIN("furnace","locale"))==NULL) {
     logE("could not bind text domain!");
   } else {
     logV("text domain 1: %s",localeRet);
   }
-  if ((localeRet=textdomain("furnace"))==NULL) {
+  if ((localeRet=TA_TEXTDOMAIN("furnace"))==NULL) {
     logE("could not text domain!");
   } else {
     logV("text domain 2: %s",localeRet);
diff --git a/src/momo/momo.c b/src/momo/momo.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5125f57cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/momo/momo.c
@@ -0,0 +1,351 @@
+/* Momo - portable gettext() implementation
+ * Copyright (C) 2024 tildearrow 
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include "libintl.h"
+
+static char curLocale[64];
+static char tempPath[4096];
+
+struct LocaleDomain {
+  char path[4096];
+  char name[64];
+  unsigned char* mo;
+  size_t moLen;
+  const char** stringPtr;
+  const char** transPtr;
+  size_t stringCount;
+};
+
+struct MOHeader {
+  unsigned int magic;
+  unsigned int version;
+  unsigned int stringCount;
+  unsigned int stringPtr;
+  unsigned int transPtr;
+  unsigned int hashSize;
+  unsigned int hashPtr;
+};
+
+static struct LocaleDomain* curDomain=NULL;
+static struct LocaleDomain** domains=NULL;
+static size_t domainsLen=0;
+
+// utility
+
+unsigned char domainsInsert(struct LocaleDomain* item) {
+  struct LocaleDomain** newDomains=malloc(sizeof(struct LocaleDomain*)*(domainsLen+1));
+  if (newDomains==NULL) return 0;
+  if (domains!=NULL) {
+    memcpy(newDomains,domains,sizeof(struct LocaleDomain*)*domainsLen);
+    free(domains);
+  }
+  domains=newDomains;
+  domains[domainsLen++]=item;
+  return 1;
+}
+
+unsigned char domainsRemove(struct LocaleDomain* item) {
+  if (domains==NULL) return 0;
+  unsigned char found=0;
+  for (size_t i=0; i<domainsLen; i++) {
+    if (domains[i]==item) {
+      found=1;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  if (!found) return 0;
+  if (domainsLen==1) {
+    domainsLen=0;
+    free(domains);
+    domains=NULL;
+    return 1;
+  } 
+  struct LocaleDomain** newDomains=malloc(sizeof(struct LocaleDomain*)*(domainsLen-1));
+  if (newDomains==NULL) return 0;
+  size_t d=0;
+  found=0;
+  for (size_t i=0; i<domainsLen; i++) {
+    if (domains[i]!=item || found) {
+      newDomains[d++]=domains[i];
+    } else {
+      found=1;
+    }
+  }
+  domainsLen--;
+  free(domains);
+  domains=newDomains;
+  return 1;
+}
+
+// implementation
+
+const char* momo_setlocale(int type, const char* locale) {
+  if (locale==NULL) {
+    return curLocale;
+  }
+
+  if (locale[0]==0) {
+    // get the locale from environment
+    locale=getenv("LC_ALL");
+    if (locale==NULL) {
+      locale=getenv("LC_MESSAGES");
+      if (locale==NULL) {
+        locale=getenv("LANG");
+        if (locale==NULL) {
+          locale="C";
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  strncpy(curLocale,locale,64);
+  // cut anything after the dot (we only support UTF-8)
+  char* dotPos=strchr(curLocale,'.');
+  if (dotPos) {
+    *dotPos=0;
+  }
+  return curLocale;
+}
+
+const char* momo_bindtextdomain(const char* domainName, const char* dirName) {
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"C")==0) return dirName;
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"POSIX")==0) return dirName;
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"en")==0) return dirName;
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"en_US")==0) return dirName;
+
+  struct LocaleDomain* newDomain=NULL;
+  unsigned char found=0;
+  if (domains!=NULL) {
+    // search for domain
+    for (size_t i=0; i<domainsLen; i++) {
+      if (strcmp(domains[i]->name,domainName)==0) {
+        newDomain=domains[i];
+        found=1;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  if (newDomain==NULL) {
+    // create new domain
+    newDomain=malloc(sizeof(struct LocaleDomain));
+    if (newDomain==NULL) {
+      errno=ENOMEM;
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    memset(newDomain,0,sizeof(struct LocaleDomain));
+  }
+  strncpy(newDomain->name,domainName,64);
+  if (dirName==NULL) {
+    if (!found) {
+      free(newDomain);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    return newDomain->path;
+  } else {
+    strncpy(newDomain->path,dirName,4096);
+  }
+
+  // load domain
+  if (newDomain->mo==NULL) {
+    snprintf(tempPath,4096,"%s/%s/LC_MESSAGES/%s.mo",newDomain->path,curLocale,newDomain->name);
+
+    FILE* f=fopen(tempPath,"rb");
+    if (f==NULL) {
+      // try without country
+      char* cPos=strchr(curLocale,'_');
+      if (cPos) {
+        *cPos=0;
+      } 
+      snprintf(tempPath,4096,"%s/%s/LC_MESSAGES/%s.mo",newDomain->path,curLocale,newDomain->name);
+      f=fopen(tempPath,"rb");
+      if (f==NULL) {
+        // give up
+        if (found) {
+          if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+          domainsRemove(newDomain);
+        }
+        free(newDomain);
+        return NULL;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (fseek(f,0,SEEK_END)!=0) {
+      // give up
+      fclose(f);
+      if (found) {
+        if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+        domainsRemove(newDomain);
+      }
+      free(newDomain);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
+    long moSize=ftell(f);
+    if (moSize<sizeof(struct MOHeader)) {
+      // give up
+      fclose(f);
+      if (found) {
+        if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+        domainsRemove(newDomain);
+      }
+      free(newDomain);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
+    newDomain->moLen=moSize;
+
+    if (fseek(f,0,SEEK_SET)!=0) {
+      // give up
+      fclose(f);
+      if (found) {
+        if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+        domainsRemove(newDomain);
+      }
+      free(newDomain);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
+    // allocate
+    newDomain->mo=malloc(newDomain->moLen);
+    if (newDomain->mo==NULL) {
+      // give up
+      fclose(f);
+      if (found) {
+        if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+        domainsRemove(newDomain);
+      }
+      free(newDomain);
+      errno=ENOMEM;
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    memset(newDomain->mo,0,newDomain->moLen);
+
+    // read
+    if (fread(newDomain->mo,1,newDomain->moLen,f)!=newDomain->moLen) {
+      // give up
+      free(newDomain->mo);
+      fclose(f);
+      if (found) {
+        if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+        domainsRemove(newDomain);
+      }
+      free(newDomain);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    fclose(f);
+
+    // parse
+    struct MOHeader* header=(struct MOHeader*)newDomain->mo;
+    if (header->magic!=0x950412de) {
+      // give up
+      free(newDomain->mo);
+      if (found) {
+        if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+        domainsRemove(newDomain);
+      }
+      free(newDomain);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (header->stringPtr+(header->stringCount*8)>newDomain->moLen ||
+        header->transPtr+(header->stringCount*8)>newDomain->moLen ||
+        header->hashPtr+(header->hashSize*4)>newDomain->moLen) {
+      // give up
+      free(newDomain->mo);
+      if (found) {
+        if (newDomain==curDomain) curDomain=NULL;
+        domainsRemove(newDomain);
+      }
+      free(newDomain);
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
+    newDomain->stringCount=header->stringCount;
+    if (newDomain->stringCount) {
+      newDomain->stringPtr=malloc(newDomain->stringCount*sizeof(const char*));
+      newDomain->transPtr=malloc(newDomain->stringCount*sizeof(const char*));
+    }
+
+    unsigned int* strTable=(unsigned int*)(&newDomain->mo[header->stringPtr]);
+    unsigned int* transTable=(unsigned int*)(&newDomain->mo[header->transPtr]);
+
+    for (size_t i=0; i<newDomain->stringCount; i++) {
+      newDomain->stringPtr[i]=(const char*)(&newDomain->mo[strTable[1+(i<<1)]]);
+      newDomain->transPtr[i]=(const char*)(&newDomain->mo[transTable[1+(i<<1)]]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // add to domain list
+  if (!found) {
+    if (!domainsInsert(newDomain)) {
+      if (newDomain->mo) free(newDomain->mo);
+      free(newDomain);
+      errno=ENOMEM;
+      return NULL;
+    }
+  }
+  return newDomain->path;
+}
+
+const char* momo_textdomain(const char* domainName) {
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"C")==0) return domainName;
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"POSIX")==0) return domainName;
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"en")==0) return domainName;
+  if (strcmp(curLocale,"en_US")==0) return domainName;
+
+  if (domainName==NULL) {
+    if (curDomain==NULL) return NULL;
+    return curDomain->name;
+  }
+  // set the domain
+  if (domains==NULL) return NULL;
+  for (size_t i=0; i<domainsLen; i++) {
+    if (strcmp(domains[i]->name,domainName)==0) {
+      curDomain=domains[i];
+      return curDomain->name;
+    }
+  }
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+const char* momo_gettext(const char* str) {
+  if (curDomain==NULL) {
+    return str;
+  }
+  // TODO: optimize
+  for (size_t i=0; i<curDomain->stringCount; i++) {
+    if (strcmp(curDomain->stringPtr[i],str)==0) return curDomain->transPtr[i];
+  }
+  return str;
+}
+
+const char* momo_ngettext(const char* str1, const char* str2, unsigned long amount) {
+  if (curDomain==NULL) {
+    if (amount==1) return str1;
+    return str2;
+  }
+  // TODO: implement
+  return str1;
+}
diff --git a/src/momo/momo.h b/src/momo/momo.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c64098bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/momo/momo.h
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/* Momo - portable gettext() implementation
+ * Copyright (C) 2024 tildearrow 
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+const char* momo_setlocale(int type, const char* locale);
+const char* momo_bindtextdomain(const char* domainName, const char* dirName);
+const char* momo_textdomain(const char* domainName);
+
+const char* momo_gettext(const char* str);
+const char* momo_ngettext(const char* str1, const char* str2, unsigned long amount);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#ifdef MOMO_LIBINTL
+#define setlocale momo_setlocale
+#define bindtextdomain momo_bindtextdomain
+#define textdomain momo_textdomain
+
+#define gettext momo_gettext
+#define ngettext momo_ngettext
+#endif
diff --git a/src/ta-utils.h b/src/ta-utils.h
index 8c18c31ea..aecab8d3c 100644
--- a/src/ta-utils.h
+++ b/src/ta-utils.h
@@ -43,8 +43,13 @@ typedef std::string String;
 #define CLAMP(x,xMin,xMax) (MIN(MAX((x),(xMin)),(xMax)))
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LOCALE
+#ifdef HAVE_MOMO
+#include <momo.h>
+#define _(_str) momo_gettext(_str)
+#else
 #include <libintl.h>
 #define _(_str) gettext(_str)
+#endif
 #else
 #define _(_str) _str
 #endif