diff --git a/refspec.c b/refspec.c
index c66351743bc21b..f529092fd6d9ba 100644
--- a/refspec.c
+++ b/refspec.c
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ void refspec_item_init_or_die(struct refspec_item *item, const char *refspec,
 			      int fetch)
 {
 	if (!refspec_item_init(item, refspec, fetch))
-		die("invalid refspec '%s'", refspec);
+		die(_("invalid refspec '%s'"), refspec);
 }
 
 void refspec_item_clear(struct refspec_item *item)