diff --git a/headers/private/locale/DefaultCatalog.h b/headers/private/locale/DefaultCatalog.h
index 34d17ebdc8..0b52305b43 100644
--- a/headers/private/locale/DefaultCatalog.h
+++ b/headers/private/locale/DefaultCatalog.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ class DefaultCatalog : public BHashMapCatalog {
 		status_t WriteToAttribute(entry_ref *appOrAddOnRef);
 		status_t WriteToResource(entry_ref *appOrAddOnRef);
 
+		status_t SetRawString(const CatKey& key, const char *translated);
+
 		static BCatalogAddOn *Instantiate(const char *signature,
 			const char *language, uint32 fingerprint);
 		static BCatalogAddOn *InstantiateEmbedded(entry_ref *appOrAddOnRef);
diff --git a/src/bin/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp b/src/bin/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp
index 2780f5840a..47bd1ab089 100644
--- a/src/bin/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp
+++ b/src/bin/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp
@@ -128,12 +128,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			const CatKey fixedCatKey(keyString.String(), keyComment.String(),
 					keyContext.String());
 
-			BString translatedString = walker.GetValue();
-
-			if (!targetCatImpl->GetString(fixedCatKey)) {
-				targetCatImpl->SetString(fixedCatKey,
-					translatedString.String());
-			}
+			if (!targetCatImpl->GetString(fixedCatKey))
+				targetCatImpl->SetRawString(fixedCatKey, walker.GetValue());
 			walker.Next();
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/kits/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp b/src/kits/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp
index d9eecb18f1..997060c4c3 100644
--- a/src/kits/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp
@@ -146,6 +146,13 @@ DefaultCatalog::~DefaultCatalog()
 }
 
 
+status_t
+DefaultCatalog::SetRawString(const CatKey& key, const char *translated)
+{
+	return fCatMap.Put(key, translated);
+}
+
+
 status_t
 DefaultCatalog::ReadFromFile(const char *path)
 {
diff --git a/src/tools/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp b/src/tools/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp
index 3510fc2b49..4075bc9387 100644
--- a/src/tools/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/locale/DefaultCatalog.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ DefaultCatalog::~DefaultCatalog()
 }
 
 
+status_t
+DefaultCatalog::SetRawString(const CatKey& key, const char *translated)
+{
+	return fCatMap.Put(key, translated);
+}
+
+
 status_t
 DefaultCatalog::ReadFromFile(const char *path)
 {
diff --git a/src/tools/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp b/src/tools/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp
index 6fe3d6a20a..51f731a747 100644
--- a/src/tools/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/locale/linkcatkeys.cpp
@@ -111,12 +111,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		BHashMapCatalog::CatWalker walker(&inputCatalog);
 		while (!walker.AtEnd()) {
 			const CatKey &key(walker.GetKey());
-			BString translatedString = walker.GetValue();
 
-			if (!targetCatImpl.GetString(key)) {
-				targetCatImpl.SetString(key,
-					translatedString.String());
-			}
+			if (!targetCatImpl.GetString(key))
+				targetCatImpl.SetRawString(key, walker.GetValue());
 			walker.Next();
 		}
 	}