diff --git a/.readthedocs.yml b/.readthedocs.yml
index 978de8d6..75f2bf1b 100644
--- a/.readthedocs.yml
+++ b/.readthedocs.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ build:
   jobs:
     pre_build:
       - sphinx-apidoc -o docs/apidoc --private --module-first xhydro
+      - sphinx-build -M gettext docs docs/_build
 
 conda:
   environment: environment-dev.yml