diff --git a/configure b/configure
index e7d691d1a7c..045d4f51771 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -15590,7 +15590,7 @@ then
     test "$srcdir" = . || as_fn_error $? "Rebuilding po files is not supported for out of tree builds." "$LINENO" 5
     wine_fn_append_rule ALL_MAKEFILE_DEPENDS "ALL_POT_FILES =$ALL_POT_FILES
 \$(LINGUAS:%=po/%.po): \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot
-	msgmerge -q \$@ \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot | msgattrib --no-obsolete -o \$@.new && mv \$@.new \$@
+	msgmerge --previous -q \$@ \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot | msgattrib --no-obsolete -o \$@.new && mv \$@.new \$@
 \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot: \$(ALL_POT_FILES)
 	msgcat -o \$@ \$(ALL_POT_FILES)"
 fi
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3fd320e8071..27db29cc2d3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3107,7 +3107,7 @@ then
     WINE_APPEND_RULE([ALL_MAKEFILE_DEPENDS],
 [ALL_POT_FILES =$ALL_POT_FILES
 \$(LINGUAS:%=po/%.po): \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot
-	msgmerge -q \$[@] \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot | msgattrib --no-obsolete -o \$[@].new && mv \$[@].new \$[@]
+	msgmerge --previous -q \$[@] \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot | msgattrib --no-obsolete -o \$[@].new && mv \$[@].new \$[@]
 \$(srcdir)/po/wine.pot: \$(ALL_POT_FILES)
 	msgcat -o \$[@] \$(ALL_POT_FILES)])
 fi