diff --git a/git-gui/Makefile b/git-gui/Makefile
index e10b1d12f4..a57a4e4d3d 100644
--- a/git-gui/Makefile
+++ b/git-gui/Makefile
@@ -161,7 +161,9 @@ ifeq ($(uname_S),Darwin)
 	endif
 endif
 ifneq (,$(findstring MINGW,$(uname_S)))
+ifeq ($(shell expr "$(uname_R)" : '1\.'),2)
 	NO_MSGFMT=1
+endif
 	GITGUI_WINDOWS_WRAPPER := YesPlease
 	GITGUI_RELATIVE := 1
 endif