diff --git a/doc/build_po.php b/doc/build_po.php
index 44ca8177c8..cfa4452ce1 100755
--- a/doc/build_po.php
+++ b/doc/build_po.php
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ $out = fopen("BOINC-Web.pot", "w");
 
 fwrite($out, $header);
 stream_copy_to_stream($pipe, $out);
-fclose($pipe);
 
+fclose($pipe);
 fclose($out);
 
 echo "Created BOINC-Web.pot.  If it's OK, move it to ../locale/templates and commit\n";
diff --git a/html/ops/build_po_boinc.php b/html/ops/build_po_boinc.php
index 25da5b5604..f6ec683be1 100755
--- a/html/ops/build_po_boinc.php
+++ b/html/ops/build_po_boinc.php
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ msgstr ""
 
 HDR;
 
+$pipe = popen(
+    "xgettext --omit-header --add-comments -o - --keyword=tra -L PHP $FILE_LIST",
+    "r"
+);
+
 $out = fopen("BOINC-Project-Generic.pot", "w");
 
 fwrite($out, $header);
-
-$pipe = popen(
-    "xgettext --omit-header -o - --keyword=tra -L PHP $FILE_LIST",
-    "r"
-);
 stream_copy_to_stream($pipe, $out);
 
 fclose($pipe);