diff --git a/util/convertpottojson.py b/util/convertpottojson.py
index c9c5a154..e2637553 100755
--- a/util/convertpottojson.py
+++ b/util/convertpottojson.py
@@ -1,63 +1,65 @@
 #!/bin/env python3
 
 import json
 import datetime
 import os, sys
 
 if len(sys.argv) < 3:
     print ("Usage ./convertpottojson input_pot_file language")
     sys.exit(-1)
 
 potFileName = sys.argv[1]
 lang = sys.argv[2]
 path = "./extension/_locales/%s" % lang
 enPath = "./extension/_locales/en/messages.json"
 
 os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
 outfile = open(path + "/messages.json" , 'w')
 
 translations = {}
 currentGroup = {}
 currentId = ""
 currentMsg = ""
 
 with open(potFileName, 'r') as infile:
     for line in infile.readlines():
         line = line.strip()
 
         if not line:
             if not currentId.isspace() and not currentMsg.isspace():
                 translations[currentId] = currentMsg
             currentId = ""
             currentMsg = ""
             continue
-        #split at first space
-        parts = line.split(' ', 1)
-        if len(parts) != 2:
-            continue
-        if parts[0] == "#:":
+        if line.startswith("#:"):
+            parts = line.split(' ', 1)
+            if len(parts) != 2:
+                continue
             currentId = parts[1].split(":")[0]
-        elif parts[0] == "msgstr":
+        elif line.startswith("msgstr"):
+            parts = line.split(' ', 1)
+            if len(parts) != 2:
+                continue
             msg = parts[1].strip('\"')
             msg = msg.replace('\\\"', '\"')
             currentMsg = msg
         else:
             msg = line.strip('\"')
             msg = msg.replace('\\\"', '\"')
             currentMsg += msg
 
 
 outTranslations = {}
 
 with open(enPath, 'r') as infile:
     enData = json.load(infile)
 
 for msgId in enData:
     msg = ""
     if msgId in translations:
         msg = translations[msgId]
     if not msg:
         msg = enData[msgId]["message"]
     outTranslations[msgId] = {"message" : msg}
 
 outfile.write(json.JSONEncoder(indent=4, ensure_ascii=False, sort_keys=True).encode(outTranslations))