diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/compilemessages.py b/django/core/management/commands/compilemessages.py
index f0975ca6c1..d1f1647f8b 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/compilemessages.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/compilemessages.py
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ except NameError:
     from sets import Set as set     # For Python 2.3
 
 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
-        basedirs += settings.LOCALE_PATHS
+        basedirs.extend(settings.LOCALE_PATHS)
 
     # Gather existing directories.
     basedirs = set(map(os.path.abspath, filter(os.path.isdir, basedirs)))