diff --git a/converse.js b/converse.js
index 5fa6bd217..b2f741960 100644
--- a/converse.js
+++ b/converse.js
@@ -12,19 +12,34 @@
         define("converse",
               ["converse-dependencies", "converse-templates"],
             function (dependencies, templates) {
-                var otr = dependencies.otr,
-                    moment = dependencies.moment;
+                var otr = dependencies.otr;
                 if (typeof otr !== "undefined") {
-                    return factory(dependencies.jQuery, _, otr.OTR, otr.DSA, templates, moment);
+                    return factory(
+                        dependencies.jQuery,
+                        _,
+                        otr.OTR,
+                        otr.DSA,
+                        templates,
+                        dependencies.moment,
+                        dependencies.utils
+                    );
                 } else {
-                    return factory(dependencies.jQuery, _, undefined, undefined, templates, moment);
+                    return factory(
+                        dependencies.jQuery,
+                        _,
+                        undefined,
+                        undefined,
+                        templates,
+                        dependencies.moment,
+                        dependencies.utils
+                    );
                 }
             }
         );
     } else {
-        root.converse = factory(jQuery, _, OTR, DSA, JST, moment);
+        root.converse = factory(jQuery, _, OTR, DSA, JST, moment, utils);
     }
-}(this, function ($, _, OTR, DSA, templates, moment) {
+}(this, function ($, _, OTR, DSA, templates, moment, utils) {
     // "use strict";
     // Cannot use this due to Safari bug.
     // See https://github.com/jcbrand/converse.js/issues/196
@@ -297,30 +312,8 @@
 
         // Translation machinery
         // ---------------------
-        var __ = $.proxy(function (str) {
-            // Translation factory
-            if (this.i18n === undefined) {
-                this.i18n = locales.en;
-            }
-            var t = this.i18n.translate(str);
-            if (arguments.length>1) {
-                return t.fetch.apply(t, [].slice.call(arguments,1));
-            } else {
-                return t.fetch();
-            }
-        }, this);
-
-        var ___ = function (str) {
-            /* XXX: This is part of a hack to get gettext to scan strings to be
-             * translated. Strings we cannot send to the function above because
-             * they require variable interpolation and we don't yet have the
-             * variables at scan time.
-             *
-             * See actionInfoMessages
-             */
-            return str;
-        };
-
+        var __ = utils.__;
+        var ___ = utils.___;
         // Translation aware constants
         // ---------------------------
         var OTR_CLASS_MAPPING = {};
@@ -1100,7 +1093,6 @@
                     // are mentioned.
                     extra_classes += ' mentioned';
                 }
-
                 var message = template({
                     'sender': msg_dict.sender,
                     'time': msg_time.format('hh:mm'),
@@ -4626,7 +4618,7 @@
 
         this._initializePlugins = function () {
             _.each(this.plugins, $.proxy(function (plugin) {
-                $.proxy(plugin, this)();
+                $.proxy(plugin, this)(this);
             }, this));
         };
 
diff --git a/src/deps-full.js b/src/deps-full.js
index 930bb2ce1..1e2a71b70 100644
--- a/src/deps-full.js
+++ b/src/deps-full.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 define("converse-dependencies", [
     "jquery",
+    "utils",
     "otr",
     "moment",
     "locales",
@@ -7,16 +8,16 @@ define("converse-dependencies", [
     "backbone.overview",
     "jquery.browser",
     "typeahead",
-    "utils",
     "strophe",
     "strophe.muc",
     "strophe.roster",
     "strophe.vcard",
     "strophe.disco"
-], function($, otr, moment) {
+], function($, utils, otr, moment) {
     return {
         'jQuery': $,
+        'moment': moment,
         'otr': otr,
-        'moment': moment
+        'utils': utils
     };
 });
diff --git a/src/deps-no-otr.js b/src/deps-no-otr.js
index c72e6a7fe..f7fb61ebd 100644
--- a/src/deps-no-otr.js
+++ b/src/deps-no-otr.js
@@ -1,21 +1,22 @@
 define("converse-dependencies", [
     "jquery",
+    "utils",
     "moment",
     "locales",
     "backbone.browserStorage",
     "backbone.overview",
     "jquery.browser",
     "typeahead",
-    "utils",
     "strophe",
     "strophe.muc",
     "strophe.roster",
     "strophe.vcard",
     "strophe.disco"
-], function($, moment) {
+], function($, utils, moment) {
     return {
         'jQuery': $,
         'otr': undefined,
-        'moment': moment
+        'moment': moment,
+        'utils': utils
     };
 });
diff --git a/src/deps-website-no-otr.js b/src/deps-website-no-otr.js
index f8fab79da..f3712f428 100644
--- a/src/deps-website-no-otr.js
+++ b/src/deps-website-no-otr.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 define("converse-dependencies", [
     "jquery",
+    "utils",
     "moment",
     "locales",
     "bootstrapJS", // XXX: Can be removed, only for https://conversejs.org
@@ -8,16 +9,16 @@ define("converse-dependencies", [
     "jquery.browser",
     "jquery.easing", // XXX: Can be removed, only for https://conversejs.org
     "typeahead",
-    "utils",
     "strophe",
     "strophe.muc",
     "strophe.roster",
     "strophe.vcard",
     "strophe.disco"
-], function($, moment) {
+], function($, utils, moment) {
     return {
         'jQuery': $,
         'otr': undefined,
-        'moment': moment
+        'moment': moment,
+        'utils': utils
     };
 });
diff --git a/src/deps-website.js b/src/deps-website.js
index bbbf4b894..def8fe87c 100644
--- a/src/deps-website.js
+++ b/src/deps-website.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 define("converse-dependencies", [
     "jquery",
+    "utils",
     "otr",
     "moment",
     "locales",
@@ -9,16 +10,16 @@ define("converse-dependencies", [
     "jquery.browser",
     "jquery.easing", // XXX: Only for https://conversejs.org
     "typeahead",
-    "utils",
     "strophe",
     "strophe.muc",
     "strophe.roster",
     "strophe.vcard",
     "strophe.disco"
-], function($, otr, moment) {
+], function($, utils, otr, moment) {
     return {
         'jQuery': $,
         'otr': otr,
-        'moment': moment
+        'moment': moment,
+        'utils': utils
     };
 });
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index 94f9f15b8..61716d902 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -26,4 +26,33 @@ define(["jquery"], function ($) {
         }
         return this;
     };
+
+    var utils = {
+        // Translation machinery
+        // ---------------------
+        __: $.proxy(function (str) {
+            // Translation factory
+            if (this.i18n === undefined) {
+                this.i18n = locales.en;
+            }
+            var t = this.i18n.translate(str);
+            if (arguments.length>1) {
+                return t.fetch.apply(t, [].slice.call(arguments,1));
+            } else {
+                return t.fetch();
+            }
+        }, this),
+
+        ___: function (str) {
+            /* XXX: This is part of a hack to get gettext to scan strings to be
+                * translated. Strings we cannot send to the function above because
+                * they require variable interpolation and we don't yet have the
+                * variables at scan time.
+                *
+                * See actionInfoMessages
+                */
+            return str;
+        }
+    };
+    return utils;
 });