diff --git a/script/pull_translations.rb b/script/pull_translations.rb
index 2acb4d2dab1..a739b0da47f 100644
--- a/script/pull_translations.rb
+++ b/script/pull_translations.rb
@@ -8,8 +8,14 @@
 require 'open3'
 require 'psych'
 require 'set'
+require 'fileutils'
 require_relative '../lib/i18n/locale_file_walker'
 
+YML_DIRS = ['config/locales',
+            'plugins/poll/config/locales',
+            'plugins/discourse-narrative-bot/config/locales']
+YML_FILE_PREFIXES = ['server', 'client']
+
 if `which tx`.strip.empty?
   puts '', 'The Transifex client needs to be installed to use this script.'
   puts 'Instructions are here: http://docs.transifex.com/client/setup/'
@@ -34,8 +40,23 @@ def get_languages
   end
 end
 
+def yml_path(dir, prefix, language)
+  path = "../../#{dir}/#{prefix}.#{language}.yml"
+  File.expand_path(path, __FILE__)
+end
+
 languages = get_languages.select { |x| x != 'en' }.sort
 
+# ensure that all locale files exists. tx doesn't create missing locale files during pull
+YML_DIRS.each do |dir|
+  YML_FILE_PREFIXES.each do |prefix|
+    languages.each do |language|
+      filename = yml_path(dir, prefix, language)
+      FileUtils.touch(filename) unless File.exists?(filename)
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 puts 'Pulling new translations...', ''
 command = "tx pull --mode=developer --language=#{languages.join(',')} --force"
 
@@ -60,14 +81,8 @@ YML_FILE_COMMENTS = <<END
 # https://www.transifex.com/projects/p/discourse-org/
 END
 
-YML_DIRS = ['config/locales',
-            'plugins/poll/config/locales',
-            'plugins/discourse-narrative-bot/config/locales']
-YML_FILE_PREFIXES = ['server', 'client']
-
-def yml_path(dir, prefix, language)
-  path = "../../#{dir}/#{prefix}.#{language}.yml"
-  path = File.expand_path(path, __FILE__)
+def yml_path_if_exists(dir, prefix, language)
+  path = yml_path(dir, prefix, language)
   File.exists?(path) ? path : nil
 end
 
@@ -217,7 +232,7 @@ class YamlAliasSynchronizer < LocaleFileWalker
 end
 
 def get_english_alias_data(dir, prefix)
-  filename = yml_path(dir, prefix, 'en')
+  filename = yml_path_if_exists(dir, prefix, 'en')
   filename ? YamlAliasFinder.new.parse_file(filename) : nil
 end
 
@@ -287,7 +302,7 @@ YML_DIRS.each do |dir|
     english_alias_data = get_english_alias_data(dir, prefix)
 
     languages.each do |language|
-      filename = yml_path(dir, prefix, language)
+      filename = yml_path_if_exists(dir, prefix, language)
 
       if filename
         # The following methods were added to handle a bug in Transifex's yml. Should not be needed now.