diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/context_processors.py b/openstack_dashboard/context_processors.py
index cb0dc04e82..804595c801 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/context_processors.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/context_processors.py
@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@
 Context processors used by Horizon.
 """
 
+import re
+
 from django.conf import settings
 
+from horizon import conf
+
 
 def openstack(request):
     """Context processor necessary for OpenStack Dashboard functionality.
@@ -56,4 +60,13 @@ def openstack(request):
     # Adding webroot access
     context['WEBROOT'] = getattr(settings, "WEBROOT", "/")
 
+    # Search for external plugins and append to javascript message catalog
+    # internal plugins are under the openstack_dashboard domain
+    # so we exclude them from the js_catalog
+    js_catalog = ['horizon', 'openstack_dashboard']
+    regex = re.compile(r'^openstack_dashboard')
+    all_plugins = conf.HORIZON_CONFIG['plugins']
+    js_catalog.extend(p for p in all_plugins if not regex.search(p))
+    context['JS_CATALOG'] = '+'.join(js_catalog)
+
     return context
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/settings.py b/openstack_dashboard/settings.py
index bc325ff93c..9c82c3cfc5 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/settings.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/settings.py
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ HORIZON_CONFIG = {
     'js_files': [],
     'js_spec_files': [],
     'external_templates': [],
+    'plugins': []
 }
 
 # Set to True to allow users to upload images to glance via Horizon server.
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/templates/horizon/_script_i18n.html b/openstack_dashboard/templates/horizon/_script_i18n.html
index e9aa8f49f2..8336ab281e 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/templates/horizon/_script_i18n.html
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/templates/horizon/_script_i18n.html
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 {% comment %} Django's JavaScript i18n Implementation {% endcomment %}
-<script type="text/javascript" src="{% url 'horizon:jsi18n' 'horizon+openstack_dashboard' %}"></script>
+<script type="text/javascript" src="{% url 'horizon:jsi18n' JS_CATALOG %}"></script>
diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/utils/settings.py b/openstack_dashboard/utils/settings.py
index 227334d334..6a6d16dc79 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/utils/settings.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/utils/settings.py
@@ -160,4 +160,12 @@ def update_dashboards(modules, horizon_config, installed_apps):
     horizon_config.setdefault('js_files', []).extend(js_files)
     horizon_config.setdefault('js_spec_files', []).extend(js_spec_files)
     horizon_config.setdefault('scss_files', []).extend(scss_files)
+
+    # apps contains reference to applications declared in the enabled folder
+    # basically a list of applications that are internal and external plugins
+    # installed_apps contains reference to applications declared in settings
+    # such as django.contribe.*, django_pyscss, compressor, horizon, etc...
+    # for translation, we are only interested in the list of external plugins
+    # so we save the reference to it before we append to installed_apps
+    horizon_config.setdefault('plugins', []).extend(apps)
     installed_apps[0:0] = apps
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/enable-js-catalog-plugin-1885df911148247a.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/enable-js-catalog-plugin-1885df911148247a.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c94cc7d87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/enable-js-catalog-plugin-1885df911148247a.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+features:
+    - Allow external plugins to contribute translations to the Javascript
+      message catalog.
+
+fixes:
+    - Provided the ability for plugins to contribute translations to the
+      JavaScript message catalog. Previously the horizon and openstack_dahboard
+      applications were hardcoded.