diff --git a/protected/humhub/components/i18n/I18N.php b/protected/humhub/components/i18n/I18N.php
index 266a436e00..5007ec260b 100644
--- a/protected/humhub/components/i18n/I18N.php
+++ b/protected/humhub/components/i18n/I18N.php
@@ -36,6 +36,15 @@ class I18N extends BaseI18N
      */
     public $unsupportedYiiLanguages = ['an'];
 
+    /**
+     * Called before the translate method is executed.
+     * e.g. to modify translations on the fly.
+     *
+     * @since 1.4
+     * @var callable
+     */
+    public $beforeTranslateCallback;
+
     /**
      * Automatically sets the current locale and time zone
      */
@@ -131,6 +140,11 @@ class I18N extends BaseI18N
             $category = 'humhub.yii';
         }
 
+        if (is_callable($this->beforeTranslateCallback)) {
+            list($category, $message, $params, $language) =
+                $this->beforeTranslateCallback->call($this, $category, $message, $params, $language);
+        }
+
         return parent::translate($category, $message, $params, $language);
     }