diff --git a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-translations.py b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-translations.py
index 813d68092aa9..07e6a43b7050 100644
--- a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-translations.py
+++ b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-translations.py
@@ -1,47 +1,41 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-## USAGE EXAMPLE: python check_messsage_translations.sh cs
-
-import sys
+import argparse
 import os
-import codecs
-import re
 
-from check_message_lib import find_language_file_name
+from check_message_lib import find_language_file_name, get_js_keys, get_xml_keys
+
+arg_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Compare the XML and JS message keys for two languages.')
+arg_parser.add_argument('lang', help='First language as a 2-letter code')
+arg_parser.add_argument('-base', required=False, default='en', help='Second language as a 2-letter code (defaults to "en")')
+arguments = arg_parser.parse_args()
+language1 = arguments.lang
+language2 = arguments.base
 
 script_directory = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
 os.chdir(script_directory)
 
-language1 = sys.argv[1]
-language2 = sys.argv[2] if len(sys.argv) > 2 else 'en'
 
-dspace_script = 'dspace-l10n-check.py'
+def compare_keys(file_name1, file_name2, keys_function):
+    print('\n\nComparing {} and {}:'.format(file_name1, file_name2))
+    keys1 = keys_function(file_name1)
+    keys2 = keys_function(file_name2)
+    report_delta(file_name1, file_name2, keys2-keys1)
+    report_delta(file_name2, file_name1, keys1-keys2)
+
+def report_delta(file_name1, file_name2, keys):
+    if (len(keys) == 0):
+        print('\n  Every key in {} is also in {}.'.format(file_name2, file_name1))
+    else:
+        print('\n  Present in ' + file_name2 + ' but missing in ' + file_name1 + ':')
+        for key in keys:
+            print('    ' + key)
 
 xml_file_name1 = find_language_file_name(language1, 'xml')
 xml_file_name2 = find_language_file_name(language2, 'xml')
-os.system('python ' + dspace_script + ' ' + xml_file_name1 + ' ' + xml_file_name2)
-
-js_key_regexp = r'^\s*["\']([\w-]+?)["\']\s*:'
-def find_js_keys(js_file_name):
-    js_file = codecs.open(js_file_name, 'r', 'UTF-8')
-    keys = set()
-    for line in js_file:
-        match = re.search(js_key_regexp, line.strip(), re.U)
-        if (match):
-            keys.add(match.group(1))
-    return keys
+compare_keys(xml_file_name1, xml_file_name2, get_xml_keys)
 
 js_file_name1 = find_language_file_name(language1, 'js')
-js_keys1 = find_js_keys(js_file_name1)
 js_file_name2 = find_language_file_name(language2, 'js')
-js_keys2 = find_js_keys(js_file_name2)
-
-print '\nPresent in ' + js_file_name2 + ' but missing in ' + js_file_name1 + ':'
-for key in (js_keys2 - js_keys1):
-    print key
-
-print '\nPresent in ' + js_file_name1 + ' but missing in ' + js_file_name2 + ':'
-for key in (js_keys1 - js_keys2):
-    print key
-
+compare_keys(js_file_name1, js_file_name2, get_js_keys)
diff --git a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-usages.py b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-usages.py
index 4b172cb30f5d..6e1d448f4311 100644
--- a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-usages.py
+++ b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check-message-usages.py
@@ -1,17 +1,25 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-import sys
+import argparse
 import subprocess
 import codecs
 import os
 import re
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as xml
 
-from check_message_lib import find_language_file_name, root_directory
+from check_message_lib import find_language_file_name, ROOT_DIRECTORY
 
-language = sys.argv[1]
+arg_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Check for usage of XML and JS message keys in code.')
+arg_parser.add_argument('lang', help='Language (as a 2-letter code) of the messages file')
+arguments = arg_parser.parse_args()
+language = arguments.lang
+
+script_directory = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+os.chdir(script_directory)
+
+LINE_REGEXP = r'^(.+?):(.*)$'
 
-line_regexp = r'^(.+?):(.*)$'
 
 def find_xml_prefixes_and_files():
 
@@ -19,13 +27,13 @@ def find_xml_prefixes_and_files():
     grep_command = 'grep -R -P "[>\'\\"](' + '|'.join(prefixes) + ')\\." --include=*.java --include=*.xsl --include=*.xmap --include=*.xslt --include=input-forms.xml --exclude-dir=*/target/* *'
     prefix_regexp = "[>'\"]((?:" + "|".join(prefixes) + ")\..+?)[<'\"]"
 
-    os.chdir(root_directory)
+    os.chdir(ROOT_DIRECTORY)
     with open(os.devnull, 'w') as devnull:
         output = subprocess.check_output(grep_command, shell=True, stderr=devnull)
     output_lines = output.strip().split('\n')
     message_prefixes = set()
     for grep_line in output_lines:
-        line_match = re.search(line_regexp, grep_line, re.U)
+        line_match = re.search(LINE_REGEXP, grep_line, re.U)
         (file_name, line) = line_match.groups()
         match_tuples = re.findall(prefix_regexp, line, re.U)
         for match_tuple in match_tuples:
@@ -66,12 +74,12 @@ def add_js_results(language, results):
             key = message_match.group(1)
             result = {'type':'js', 'match':'no', 'key':key, 'file_name':None, 'prefix':None}
             grep_command = 'grep -R -P "(\\\\$|jQuery)\\.i18n\._\\([\'\\"]' + key + '[\'\\"][),]" --include=*.js --include=*.html --exclude-dir=*/target/* *'
-            os.chdir(root_directory)
+            os.chdir(ROOT_DIRECTORY)
             try:
                 with open(os.devnull, 'w') as devnull:
                     output = subprocess.check_output(grep_command, shell=True, stderr=devnull)
                 output_lines = output.strip().split('\n')
-                line_match = re.search(line_regexp, output_lines[0], re.U)
+                line_match = re.search(LINE_REGEXP, output_lines[0], re.U)
                 (file_name, line) = line_match.groups()
                 result['match'] = 'full'
                 result['file_name'] = file_name
diff --git a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check_message_lib.py b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check_message_lib.py
index 41b05de403d8..0e3e39b325c7 100644
--- a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check_message_lib.py
+++ b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/check_message_lib.py
@@ -2,38 +2,54 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 import os
+import re
 import codecs
+import xml.etree.ElementTree as etree
 
-script_directory = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-root_directory = script_directory + '/../../..'
-xml_i18n_directory = root_directory + '/dspace/modules/xmlui/src/main/webapp/i18n'
-js_i18n_directory = root_directory + '/dspace-xmlui/src/main/webapp/themes/UFAL/lib/js/messages'
-xml_en_joint_file_name = '/tmp/messages-en.xml'
+SCRIPT_DIRECTORY = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+ROOT_DIRECTORY = SCRIPT_DIRECTORY + '/../../..'
+XML_I18N_DIRECTORY = ROOT_DIRECTORY + '/dspace/modules/xmlui/src/main/webapp/i18n'
+JS_I18N_DIRECTORY = ROOT_DIRECTORY + '/dspace-xmlui/src/main/webapp/themes/UFAL/lib/js/messages'
+XML_EN_JOINT_FILE_NAME = '/tmp/messages-en.xml'
+JS_KEY_REGEXP = r'^\s*["\']([\w-]+?)["\']\s*:'
 
 def find_language_file_name(language, kind):
     if (kind == 'xml'):
         if (language != 'en'):
-            file_name = xml_i18n_directory + '/messages_' + language + '.xml'
+            file_name = XML_I18N_DIRECTORY + '/messages_' + language + '.xml'
         else:
-            file_name = xml_en_joint_file_name
+            file_name = XML_EN_JOINT_FILE_NAME
             _create_xml_en_joint_file()
     elif (kind == 'js'):
         if (language != 'en'):
-            file_name = js_i18n_directory + '/messages_' + language + '.js'
+            file_name = JS_I18N_DIRECTORY + '/messages_' + language + '.js'
         else:
-            file_name = js_i18n_directory + '/messages.js'
+            file_name = JS_I18N_DIRECTORY + '/messages.js'
     return os.path.abspath(file_name)
 
+def get_xml_keys(messages_file_name):
+    root = etree.parse(messages_file_name).getroot()
+    return {message.get('key') for message in root}
+
+def get_js_keys(js_file_name):
+    js_file = codecs.open(js_file_name, 'r', 'UTF-8')
+    keys = set()
+    for line in js_file:
+        match = re.search(JS_KEY_REGEXP, line.strip(), re.U)
+        if (match):
+            keys.add(match.group(1))
+    return keys
+
 ## Merge together all messages.xml into one temporary messages-en.xml.
 ## Avoids xml parsing to prevent namespace complications.
 def _create_xml_en_joint_file():
     en_file_names = set()
-    for (dpath, dnames, fnames) in os.walk(root_directory):
+    for (dpath, dnames, fnames) in os.walk(ROOT_DIRECTORY):
         for fname in [os.path.join(dpath, fname) for fname in fnames]:
             if ('/target/' not in fname and fname.endswith('/messages.xml')):
                 en_file_names.add(os.path.abspath(fname))
-    print 'Constructing temporary /tmp/messages_en.xml from all messages.xml:\n  ' + '\n  '.join(en_file_names) + '\n'
-    en_joint_file = codecs.open(xml_en_joint_file_name, 'w', 'UTF-8')
+    print('\nConstructing temporary joint xml ' + XML_EN_JOINT_FILE_NAME + ' from all English messages.xml:\n  ' + '\n  '.join(en_file_names))
+    en_joint_file = codecs.open(XML_EN_JOINT_FILE_NAME, 'w', 'UTF-8')
     for (index, en_file_name) in enumerate(en_file_names):
         en_file = codecs.open(en_file_name, 'r', 'UTF-8')
         if (index == 0):
@@ -54,3 +70,5 @@ def _create_xml_en_joint_file():
         en_file.close()
     en_joint_file.write('</catalogue>\n')
     en_joint_file.close()
+
+
diff --git a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/dspace-l10n-check.py b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/dspace-l10n-check.py
deleted file mode 100644
index ad914378af1d..000000000000
--- a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/dspace-l10n-check.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,119 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-import sys
-import collections
-
-
-KEY, PREV, NEXT = range(3)
-
-class OrderedSet(collections.MutableSet):
-
-	def __init__(self, iterable=None):
-		self.end = end = [] 
-		end += [None, end, end]		# sentinel node for doubly linked list
-		self.map = {}			# key --> [key, prev, next]
-		if iterable is not None:
-			self |= iterable
-
-	def __len__(self):
-		return len(self.map)
-
-	def __contains__(self, key):
-		return key in self.map
-
-	def add(self, key):
-		if key not in self.map:
-			end = self.end
-			curr = end[PREV]
-			curr[NEXT] = end[PREV] = self.map[key] = [key, curr, end]
-
-	def discard(self, key):
-		if key in self.map:		
-			key, prev, next = self.map.pop(key)
-			prev[NEXT] = next
-			next[PREV] = prev
-
-	def __iter__(self):
-		end = self.end
-		curr = end[NEXT]
-		while curr is not end:
-			yield curr[KEY]
-			curr = curr[NEXT]
-
-	def __reversed__(self):
-		end = self.end
-		curr = end[PREV]
-		while curr is not end:
-			yield curr[KEY]
-			curr = curr[PREV]
-
-	def pop(self, last=True):
-		if not self:
-			raise KeyError('set is empty')
-		key = next(reversed(self)) if last else next(iter(self))
-		self.discard(key)
-		return key
-
-	def __repr__(self):
-		if not self:
-			return '%s()' % (self.__class__.__name__,)
-		return '%s(%r)' % (self.__class__.__name__, list(self))
-
-	def __eq__(self, other):
-		if isinstance(other, OrderedSet):
-			return len(self) == len(other) and list(self) == list(other)
-		return set(self) == set(other)
-
-	def __del__(self):
-		self.clear()			# remove circular references
-
-
-class MessagesXmlParser():
-	def __init__(self, filename):
-		import xml.etree.ElementTree as etree
-		
-		self.keys = []
-		
-		tree = etree.parse(filename)
-		root = tree.getroot()
-		for message in root:
-			self.keys.append(message.attrib['key'])
-
-class MessagesPropertiesParser():
-	def __init__(self, filename):
-		try:
-			import jprops
-		except:
-			print('Error: jprops module for parsing .properties files is missing. Download and follow installation instructions from http://mgood.github.com/jprops/')
-			sys.exit(2)
-		
-		self.keys = []
-		
-		with open(filename) as fp:
-			for key, value in jprops.iter_properties(fp):
-				self.keys.append(key)
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-	if len(sys.argv) != 3:
-		print("Usage:")
-		print("       %s messages.xml messages_XX.xml" % (sys.argv[0]))
-		print("or")
-		print("       %s Messages.properties Messages_XX.properties" % (sys.argv[0]))
-		sys.exit(1)
-
-	testfile = open(sys.argv[1], 'rb')
-	if testfile.readline().find('<?xml') != -1:
-		# xml file detected, assume messages.xml
-		messages_tmpl = MessagesXmlParser(sys.argv[1])
-		messages_in   = MessagesXmlParser(sys.argv[2])
-	else:
-		# assume Messages.properties
-		messages_tmpl = MessagesPropertiesParser(sys.argv[1])
-		messages_in   = MessagesPropertiesParser(sys.argv[2])
-	
-	print "Present in %s but missing in %s:" % (sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2])
-	for i in OrderedSet(messages_tmpl.keys) - OrderedSet(messages_in.keys):
-		print i
-	print "\nPresent in %s but missing in %s:" % (sys.argv[2], sys.argv[1])
-	for i in OrderedSet(messages_in.keys) - OrderedSet(messages_tmpl.keys):
-		print i
diff --git a/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/update-message-xml-translations.py b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/update-message-xml-translations.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1a7fc7f3f78c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utilities/project_helpers/scripts/update-message-xml-translations.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+import argparse
+import os
+import lxml.etree as lxml
+
+from check_message_lib import find_language_file_name, get_xml_keys
+
+arg_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Add English XML messages missing in the language's messages, marked with @TODO=translate.")
+arg_parser.add_argument('lang', help='Language (as a 2-letter code) of the messages file')
+arguments = arg_parser.parse_args()
+language = arguments.lang
+
+script_directory = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+os.chdir(script_directory)
+
+english_file_name = find_language_file_name('en', 'xml')
+english_keys = get_xml_keys(english_file_name)
+other_file_name = find_language_file_name(language, 'xml')
+other_keys = get_xml_keys(other_file_name)
+
+if (other_keys == english_keys):
+    print('\nThe sets of message keys in {} and {} are already the same.'.format(english_file_name, other_file_name))
+else:
+    current_map = {}
+    parser = lxml.XMLParser(remove_blank_text=True)
+    other_tree = lxml.parse(other_file_name, parser)
+    other_root = other_tree.getroot()
+    for message in other_root:
+        if message.tag is lxml.Comment:
+            other_root.remove(message)
+        else:
+            key = message.get('key')
+            current_map[key] = message
+            other_root.remove(message)
+    english_tree = lxml.parse(english_file_name)
+    english_root = english_tree.getroot()
+    for message in english_root:
+        if (message.tag != lxml.Comment):
+            for element in message.xpath('descendant-or-self::*'):
+                element.tag = element.tag[element.tag.index('}')+1:]
+            key = message.get('key')
+            if (key in other_keys):
+                other_root.append(current_map[key])
+            else:
+                message.tail = None
+                message.set('TODO', 'translate')
+                other_root.append(message)
+    other_tree.write(other_file_name, encoding='UTF-8', pretty_print=True)
+    print('\n{} has been updated to contain all and only the keys of {}.'.format(other_file_name, english_file_name))
+print('')