diff --git a/django/core/management/__init__.py b/django/core/management/__init__.py
index 739dc25297c..a49ffdd3b8d 100644
--- a/django/core/management/__init__.py
+++ b/django/core/management/__init__.py
@@ -308,8 +308,7 @@ class ManagementUtility(object):
 
         no_settings_commands = [
             'help', 'version', '--help', '--version', '-h',
-            'compilemessages', 'makemessages',
-            'startapp', 'startproject',
+            'startapp', 'startproject', 'compilemessages',
         ]
 
         try:
diff --git a/docs/releases/1.11.txt b/docs/releases/1.11.txt
index 128ef2c2038..b06d4e8a465 100644
--- a/docs/releases/1.11.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/1.11.txt
@@ -374,6 +374,9 @@ Miscellaneous
   called a second time before calling
   :func:`~django.test.utils.teardown_test_environment`.
 
+* The :djadmin:`makemessages` command now requires configured settings, like
+  most other commands.
+
 .. _deprecated-features-1.11:
 
 Features deprecated in 1.11