diff --git a/share/functions/_.fish b/share/functions/_.fish
index 3c58a73bc..ee4e25b37 100644
--- a/share/functions/_.fish
+++ b/share/functions/_.fish
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
 #
 # Alias for gettext or a fallback if gettext isn't installed.
 #
-if command -sq gettext
+# Use ggettext if available.
+# This is the case on OpenIndiana, where the default gettext
+# interprets `\n` itself, so
+#    printf (_ 'somemessage\n')
+# won't print a newline.
+if command -sq ggettext
+    function _ --description "Alias for the ggettext command"
+        command ggettext fish $argv
+    end
+else if command -sq gettext
     function _ --description "Alias for the gettext command"
         command gettext fish $argv
     end