diff --git a/po/README_CONTRIBUTORS.md b/po/README_CONTRIBUTORS.md
index e232c0620..46dad96f9 100644
--- a/po/README_CONTRIBUTORS.md
+++ b/po/README_CONTRIBUTORS.md
@@ -44,6 +44,30 @@ else
 const label = gtk.Label.new(text);
 ```
 
+If a string must be stored untranslated and only translated later, use
+`i18n.N_` instead. This marks the string for extraction into the translation
+template but returns the original msgid unchanged. A common use case is
+compile-time or static metadata that is translated only when it is presented
+to the user.
+
+```zig
+const i18n = @import("i18n.zig");
+
+const Command = struct {
+    title: [:0]const u8,
+};
+
+const cmd = Command{
+    .title = i18n.N_("Reset Terminal"),
+};
+
+const label = gtk.Label.new(i18n._(cmd.title));
+```
+
+If `i18n._` is called at comptime, it returns the original msgid unchanged
+while still marking the string for translation. For strings that are stored
+untranslated and translated later, prefer `i18n.N_`.
+
 All translatable strings are extracted into the _translation template file_,
 located under `po/com.mitchellh.ghostty.pot`. **This file must stay in sync with
 the list of translatable strings present in source code or Blueprints at all times.**
diff --git a/src/os/i18n.zig b/src/os/i18n.zig
index 88b7b5bf5..20d3c1b97 100644
--- a/src/os/i18n.zig
+++ b/src/os/i18n.zig
@@ -62,8 +62,13 @@ pub fn initGlobalDomain() error{OutOfMemory}!void {
 }
 
 /// Translate a message for the Ghostty domain.
+///
+/// If this is called at comptime, the direct msgid is returned without
+/// translation. This still allows the string to be marked for translation
+/// while remaining usable in comptime contexts.
 pub fn _(msgid: [*:0]const u8) [*:0]const u8 {
     if (comptime !build_config.i18n) return msgid;
+    if (@inComptime()) return msgid;
     return dgettext(build_config.bundle_id, msgid);
 }
 
@@ -196,3 +201,10 @@ test "canonicalizeLocale darwin" {
     // underscores. We should parse them out before calling this function.
     try testing.expectEqualStrings("en_US.UTF_8", try canonicalizeLocale(&buf, "en_US.UTF-8"));
 }
+
+test "_ returns msgid at comptime" {
+    const testing = std.testing;
+
+    const msgid = comptime @"_"("Ghostty");
+    try testing.expectEqualStrings("Ghostty", std.mem.span(msgid));
+}