diff --git a/IkiWiki/Plugin/po.pm b/IkiWiki/Plugin/po.pm
index e4cd6165f..07896d95a 100644
--- a/IkiWiki/Plugin/po.pm
+++ b/IkiWiki/Plugin/po.pm
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ sub refreshpofiles ($@) { #{{{
 
 	foreach my $pofile (@pofiles) {
 		if (-e $pofile) {
-			my $cmd = "msgmerge -U $pofile $potfile";
+			my $cmd = "msgmerge -U --backup=none $pofile $potfile";
 			system ($cmd) == 0
 				or error("[po/refreshpofiles:$pofile] failed to update");
 		}
diff --git a/doc/plugins/po.mdwn b/doc/plugins/po.mdwn
index 1dc72fe47..c83d5a612 100644
--- a/doc/plugins/po.mdwn
+++ b/doc/plugins/po.mdwn
@@ -214,7 +214,6 @@ gettext/po4a rough corners
 - fix the "duplicate message definition" error when updating a PO
   file; do PO files need normalizing? (may be a side effect of
   previous bug)
-- should `*.po~` backup files really be saved?
 
 Translation quality assurance
 -----------------------------