diff --git a/libdivecomputer.c b/libdivecomputer.c
index 713ee7599..8c5a4f180 100644
--- a/libdivecomputer.c
+++ b/libdivecomputer.c
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ static int parse_gasmixes(device_data_t *devdata, struct dive *dive, dc_parser_t
 static void handle_event(struct dive *dive, struct sample *sample, dc_sample_value_t value)
 {
 	int type, time;
+	/* we mark these for translation here, but we store the untranslated strings
+	 * and only translate them when they are displayed on screen */
 	static const char *events[] = {
 		N_("none"), N_("deco"), N_("rbt"), N_("ascent"), N_("ceiling"), N_("workload"),
 		N_("transmitter"), N_("violation"), N_("bookmark"), N_("surface"), N_("safety stop"),
@@ -98,9 +100,9 @@ static void handle_event(struct dive *dive, struct sample *sample, dc_sample_val
 	 * Other evens might be more interesting, but for now we just print them out.
 	 */
 	type = value.event.type;
-	name = _("invalid event number");
+	name = N_("invalid event number");
 	if (type < nr_events)
-		name = _(events[type]);
+		name = events[type];
 
 	time = value.event.time;
 	if (sample)
diff --git a/profile.c b/profile.c
index 9e06e79e5..80010ef7c 100644
--- a/profile.c
+++ b/profile.c
@@ -284,7 +284,8 @@ void evn_foreach(void (*callback)(const char *, int *, void *), void *data)
 	int i;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < evn_used; i++) {
-		callback(ev_namelist[i].ev_name, &ev_namelist[i].plot_ev, data);
+		/* here we display an event name on screen - so translate */
+		callback(_(ev_namelist[i].ev_name), &ev_namelist[i].plot_ev, data);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -349,7 +350,8 @@ static void plot_one_event(struct graphics_context *gc, struct plot_info *pi, st
 	cairo_move_to(gc->cr, x-9, y+4);
 	cairo_line_to(gc->cr, x-9, y+4);
 	cairo_stroke(gc->cr);
-	attach_tooltip(x-15, y-6, 12, 12, event->name);
+	/* we display the event on screen - so translate */
+	attach_tooltip(x-15, y-6, 12, 12, _(event->name));
 }
 
 static void plot_events(struct graphics_context *gc, struct plot_info *pi, struct dive *dive)
diff --git a/uemis.c b/uemis.c
index 1ac458458..d4c166b88 100644
--- a/uemis.c
+++ b/uemis.c
@@ -123,51 +123,56 @@ bail:
  * These bits basically represent what is displayed on screen at sample time.
  * Many of these 'warnings' are way hyper-active and seriously clutter the
  * profile plot - so these are disabled by default
+ *
+ * we mark all the strings for translation, but we store the untranslated
+ * strings and only convert them when displaying them on screen - this way
+ * when we write them to the XML file we'll always have the English strings,
+ * regardless of locale
  */
 void uemis_event(struct dive *dive, struct sample *sample, uemis_sample_t *u_sample)
 {
 	uint8_t *flags = u_sample->flags;
 
 	if (flags[1] & 0x01)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Safety Stop Violation"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Safety Stop Violation"));
 	if (flags[1] & 0x08)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Speed Alarm"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Speed Alarm"));
 #if WANT_CRAZY_WARNINGS
 	if (flags[1] & 0x06) /* both bits 1 and 2 are a warning */
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Speed Warning"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Speed Warning"));
 	if (flags[1] & 0x10)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("PO2 Green Warning"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("PO2 Green Warning"));
 #endif
 	if (flags[1] & 0x20)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("PO2 Ascend Warning"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("PO2 Ascend Warning"));
 	if (flags[1] & 0x40)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("PO2 Ascend Alarm"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("PO2 Ascend Alarm"));
 	/* flags[2] reflects the deco / time bar
 	 * flags[3] reflects more display details on deco and pO2 */
 	if (flags[4] & 0x01)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Tank Pressure Info"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Tank Pressure Info"));
 	if (flags[4] & 0x04)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("RGT Warning"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("RGT Warning"));
 	if (flags[4] & 0x08)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("RGT Alert"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("RGT Alert"));
 	if (flags[4] & 0x40)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Tank Change Suggested"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Tank Change Suggested"));
 	if (flags[4] & 0x80)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Depth Limit Exceeded"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Depth Limit Exceeded"));
 	if (flags[5] & 0x01)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Max Deco Time Warning"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Max Deco Time Warning"));
 	if (flags[5] & 0x04)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Dive Time Info"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Dive Time Info"));
 	if (flags[5] & 0x08)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Dive Time Alert"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Dive Time Alert"));
 	if (flags[5] & 0x10)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Marker"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Marker"));
 	if (flags[6] & 0x02)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("No Tank Data"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("No Tank Data"));
 	if (flags[6] & 0x04)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Low Battery Warning"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Low Battery Warning"));
 	if (flags[6] & 0x08)
-		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, _("Low Battery Alert"));
+		add_event(dive, sample->time.seconds, 0, 0, 0, N_("Low Battery Alert"));
 	/* flags[7] reflects the little on screen icons that remind of previous
 	 * warnings / alerts - not useful for events */
 }