diff --git a/django/bin/compile-messages.py b/django/bin/compile-messages.py
index 8693022644..0d71413e5a 100755
--- a/django/bin/compile-messages.py
+++ b/django/bin/compile-messages.py
@@ -11,11 +11,10 @@ except NameError:
 
 
 def compile_messages(locale=None):
-    basedirs = [os.path.join('conf', 'locale'), 'locale']
+    basedirs = (os.path.join('conf', 'locale'), 'locale')
     if os.environ.get('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE'):
         from django.conf import settings
-        if hasattr(settings, 'LOCALE_PATHS'):
-            basedirs += settings.LOCALE_PATHS
+        basedirs += settings.LOCALE_PATHS
 
     # Gather existing directories.
     basedirs = set(map(os.path.abspath, filter(os.path.isdir, basedirs)))
diff --git a/django/conf/global_settings.py b/django/conf/global_settings.py
index 994e908caf..2853d6c618 100644
--- a/django/conf/global_settings.py
+++ b/django/conf/global_settings.py
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ LANGUAGES_BIDI = ("he", "ar", "fa")
 # to load the internationalization machinery.
 USE_I18N = True
 
+LOCALE_PATHS = ()
+
 # Not-necessarily-technical managers of the site. They get broken link
 # notifications and other various e-mails.
 MANAGERS = ADMINS
diff --git a/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py b/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py
index c95c842a4f..a7259b3ce5 100644
--- a/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py
+++ b/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py
@@ -168,10 +168,9 @@ def translation(language):
                     res.merge(t)
             return res
 
-        if hasattr(settings, 'LOCALE_PATHS'):
-            for localepath in settings.LOCALE_PATHS:
-                if os.path.isdir(localepath):
-                    res = _merge(localepath)
+        for localepath in settings.LOCALE_PATHS:
+            if os.path.isdir(localepath):
+                res = _merge(localepath)
 
         if projectpath and os.path.isdir(projectpath):
             res = _merge(projectpath)
diff --git a/docs/settings.txt b/docs/settings.txt
index 6241749753..0219f9853a 100644
--- a/docs/settings.txt
+++ b/docs/settings.txt
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ LOCALE_PATHS
 
 Default: ``()`` (Empty tuple)
 
-A list of directories where Django looks for translation files.
+A tuple of directories where Django looks for translation files.
 See the `internationalization docs section`_ explaining the variable and the
 default behavior.