diff --git a/core/server/translations/en.json b/core/server/translations/en.json
index d775bd768d..e5911bde29 100644
--- a/core/server/translations/en.json
+++ b/core/server/translations/en.json
@@ -116,30 +116,6 @@
                 "willBeRequired": "This will be required in future. Please see {url}",
                 "themeFileIsMalformed": "Theme package.json file is malformed"
             },
-            "startupcheck": {
-                "unsupportedNodeVersion": {
-                    "error": "ERROR: Unsupported version of Node",
-                    "context": "Ghost needs Node version {neededVersion} you are using version {usedVersion}\n",
-                    "help": "Please see {url} for more information"
-                },
-                "cannotFindConfigForCurrentNode": {
-                    "error": "ERROR: Cannot find the configuration for the current NODE_ENV: {nodeEnv}\n",
-                    "help": "Ensure your config.js has a section for the current NODE_ENV value and is formatted properly."
-                },
-                "ghostMissingDependencies": {
-                    "error": "ERROR: Ghost is unable to start due to missing dependencies:\n  {error}",
-                    "explain": "\nPlease run `npm install --production` and try starting Ghost again.",
-                    "help": "Help and documentation can be found at {url}.\n"
-                },
-                "unableToAccessContentPath": {
-                    "error": "ERROR: Unable to access Ghost's content path:",
-                    "help": "Check that the content path exists and file system permissions are correct. \nHelp and documentation can be found at {url}."
-                },
-                "unableToOpenSqlite3Db": {
-                    "error": "ERROR: Unable to open sqlite3 database file for read/write",
-                    "help": "\nCheck that the sqlite3 database file permissions allow read and write access. \nHelp and documentation can be found at {url}."
-                }
-            },
             "validatethemes": {
                 "themeWithNoPackage": {
                     "message": "Found a theme with no package.json file",
diff --git a/core/server/utils/startup-check.js b/core/server/utils/startup-check.js
index d5bb3d827e..9b0774193a 100644
--- a/core/server/utils/startup-check.js
+++ b/core/server/utils/startup-check.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ var packages = require('../../../package.json'),
     path = require('path'),
     crypto = require('crypto'),
     fs = require('fs'),
-    i18n = require('../i18n'),
     mode = process.env.NODE_ENV === undefined ? 'development' : process.env.NODE_ENV,
     appRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../../'),
     configFilePath = process.env.GHOST_CONFIG || path.join(appRoot, 'config.js'),
@@ -29,16 +28,14 @@ checks = {
     nodeVersion: function checkNodeVersion() {
         // Tell users if their node version is not supported, and exit
         var semver = require('semver');
-        i18n.init();
 
         if (process.env.GHOST_NODE_VERSION_CHECK !== 'false' &&
             !semver.satisfies(process.versions.node, packages.engines.node) &&
             !semver.satisfies(process.versions.node, packages.engines.iojs)) {
-            console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.unsupportedNodeVersion.error'));
-            console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.unsupportedNodeVersion.context',
-                                {neededVersion: packages.engines.node, usedVersion: process.versions.node}));
-            console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.unsupportedNodeVersion.help',
-                                {url: 'http://support.ghost.org/supported-node-versions/'}));
+            console.error('\x1B[31mERROR: Unsupported version of Node');
+            console.error('\x1B[31mGhost needs Node version ' + packages.engines.node +
+                          ' you are using version ' + process.versions.node + '\033[0m\n');
+            console.error('\x1B[32mPlease see http://support.ghost.org/supported-node-versions/ for more information\033[0m');
 
             process.exit(exitCodes.NODE_VERSION_UNSUPPORTED);
         }
@@ -61,9 +58,10 @@ checks = {
         config = configFile[mode];
 
         if (!config) {
-            console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.cannotFindConfigForCurrentNode.error',
-                                 {nodeEnv: process.env.NODE_ENV}));
-            console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.cannotFindConfigForCurrentNode.help'));
+            console.error('\x1B[31mERROR: Cannot find the configuration for the current NODE_ENV: ' +
+                            process.env.NODE_ENV + '\033[0m\n');
+            console.error('\x1B[32mEnsure your config.js has a section for the current NODE_ENV value' +
+                            ' and is formatted properly.\033[0m');
 
             process.exit(exitCodes.NODE_ENV_CONFIG_MISSING);
         }
@@ -91,9 +89,9 @@ checks = {
 
         errors = errors.join('\n  ');
 
-        console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.ghostMissingDependencies.error', {error: errors}));
-        console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.ghostMissingDependencies.explain'));
-        console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.ghostMissingDependencies.help', {url: 'http://support.ghost.org'}));
+        console.error('\x1B[31mERROR: Ghost is unable to start due to missing dependencies:\033[0m\n  ' + errors);
+        console.error('\x1B[32m\nPlease run `npm install --production` and try starting Ghost again.');
+        console.error('\x1B[32mHelp and documentation can be found at http://support.ghost.org.\033[0m\n');
 
         process.exit(exitCodes.DEPENDENCIES_MISSING);
     },
@@ -109,8 +107,9 @@ checks = {
             contentPath,
             contentSubPaths = ['apps', 'data', 'images', 'themes'],
             fd,
-            errorHeader = i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.unableToAccessContentPath.error'),
-            errorHelp = i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.unableToAccessContentPath.help', {url: 'http://support.ghost.org'});
+            errorHeader = '\x1B[31mERROR: Unable to access Ghost\'s content path:\033[0m',
+            errorHelp = '\x1B[32mCheck that the content path exists and file system permissions are correct.' +
+                '\nHelp and documentation can be found at http://support.ghost.org.\033[0m';
 
         // Get the content path to test.  If it's defined in config.js use that, if not use the default
         try {
@@ -203,9 +202,10 @@ checks = {
                 return;
             }
 
-            console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.unableToOpenSqlite3Db.error'));
+            console.error('\x1B[31mERROR: Unable to open sqlite3 database file for read/write\033[0m');
             console.error('  ' + e.message);
-            console.error(i18n.t('errors.utils.startupcheck.unableToOpenSqlite3Db.help', {url: 'http://support.ghost.org'}));
+            console.error('\n\x1B[32mCheck that the sqlite3 database file permissions allow read and write access.');
+            console.error('Help and documentation can be found at http://support.ghost.org.\033[0m');
 
             process.exit(exitCodes.SQLITE_DB_NOT_WRITABLE);
         }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 31ea0a21ca..bd5fcbc9aa 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
   "license": "MIT",
   "main": "./core/index",
   "scripts": {
-    "preinstall": "npm install semver lodash chalk intl-messageformat intl && node -e \"require('./core/server/utils/startup-check.js').nodeVersion()\"",
+    "preinstall": "npm install semver && node -e \"require('./core/server/utils/startup-check.js').nodeVersion()\"",
     "start": "node index",
     "test": "grunt validate --verbose"
   },