diff --git a/src/tools/run-make-support/src/command.rs b/src/tools/run-make-support/src/command.rs
index b4dc753ab5347..70a72bd1abebe 100644
--- a/src/tools/run-make-support/src/command.rs
+++ b/src/tools/run-make-support/src/command.rs
@@ -388,9 +388,13 @@ impl CompletedProcess {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Check the **exit status** of the process. On Unix, this is *not* the **wait status**.
+    ///
+    /// See [`std::process::ExitStatus::code`]. This is not to be confused with
+    /// [`std::process::ExitCode`].
     #[track_caller]
     pub fn assert_exit_code(&self, code: i32) -> &Self {
-        assert!(self.output.status.code() == Some(code));
+        assert_eq!(self.output.status.code(), Some(code));
         self
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/tools/run-make-support/src/external_deps/rustc.rs b/src/tools/run-make-support/src/external_deps/rustc.rs
index 8894ea7fb209b..b70db7130f677 100644
--- a/src/tools/run-make-support/src/external_deps/rustc.rs
+++ b/src/tools/run-make-support/src/external_deps/rustc.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use std::ffi::{OsStr, OsString};
-use std::path::Path;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::str::FromStr as _;
 
 use crate::command::Command;
 use crate::env::env_var;
@@ -390,3 +391,10 @@ impl Rustc {
         self
     }
 }
+
+/// Query the sysroot path corresponding `rustc --print=sysroot`.
+#[track_caller]
+pub fn sysroot() -> PathBuf {
+    let path = rustc().print("sysroot").run().stdout_utf8();
+    PathBuf::from_str(path.trim()).unwrap()
+}
diff --git a/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt b/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt
index 6f0fd09b353a5..e75d3dc2147bc 100644
--- a/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt
+++ b/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 run-make/split-debuginfo/Makefile
 run-make/symbol-mangling-hashed/Makefile
-run-make/translation/Makefile
diff --git a/tests/run-make/translation/Makefile b/tests/run-make/translation/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index 07e0547cfa090..0000000000000
--- a/tests/run-make/translation/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
-include ../tools.mk
-
-# This test uses `ln -s` rather than copying to save testing time, but its
-# usage doesn't work on Windows.
-# ignore-windows
-
-SYSROOT:=$(shell $(RUSTC) --print sysroot)
-FAKEROOT=$(TMPDIR)/fakeroot
-RUSTC_LOG:=rustc_error_messages
-export RUSTC_TRANSLATION_NO_DEBUG_ASSERT:=1
-
-all: normal custom missing broken sysroot sysroot-invalid sysroot-missing
-
-# Check that the test works normally, using the built-in fallback bundle.
-normal: test.rs
-	$(RUSTC) $< 2>&1 | $(CGREP) "struct literal body without path"
-
-# Check that a primary bundle can be loaded and will be preferentially used
-# where possible.
-custom: test.rs working.ftl
-	$(RUSTC) $< -Ztranslate-additional-ftl=$(CURDIR)/working.ftl 2>&1 | $(CGREP) "this is a test message"
-
-# Check that a primary bundle with a broken message (e.g. a interpolated
-# variable is missing) will use the fallback bundle.
-missing: test.rs missing.ftl
-	$(RUSTC) $< -Ztranslate-additional-ftl=$(CURDIR)/missing.ftl 2>&1 | $(CGREP) "struct literal body without path"
-
-# Check that a primary bundle without the desired message will use the fallback
-# bundle.
-broken: test.rs broken.ftl
-	$(RUSTC) $< -Ztranslate-additional-ftl=$(CURDIR)/broken.ftl 2>&1 | $(CGREP) "struct literal body without path"
-
-# Check that a locale can be loaded from the sysroot given a language
-# identifier by making a local copy of the sysroot and adding the custom locale
-# to it.
-sysroot: test.rs working.ftl
-	rm -rf $(FAKEROOT)
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/* $(FAKEROOT)
-	rm -f $(FAKEROOT)/lib
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)/lib
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/lib/* $(FAKEROOT)/lib
-	rm -f $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/lib/rustlib/* $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib
-	rm -f $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib/src
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib/src
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/lib/rustlib/src/* $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib/src
-	# When download-rustc is enabled, `$(SYSROOT)` will have a share directory. Delete the link to it.
-	rm -f $(FAKEROOT)/share
-	mkdir -p $(FAKEROOT)/share/locale/zh-CN/
-	ln -s $(CURDIR)/working.ftl $(FAKEROOT)/share/locale/zh-CN/basic-translation.ftl
-	$(RUSTC) $< --sysroot $(FAKEROOT) -Ztranslate-lang=zh-CN 2>&1 | $(CGREP) "this is a test message"
-
-# Check that the compiler errors out when the sysroot requested cannot be
-# found. This test might start failing if there actually exists a Klingon
-# translation of rustc's error messages.
-sysroot-missing:
-	$(RUSTC) $< -Ztranslate-lang=tlh 2>&1 | $(CGREP) "missing locale directory"
-
-# Check that the compiler errors out when the directory for the locale in the
-# sysroot is actually a file.
-sysroot-invalid: test.rs working.ftl
-	rm -rf $(FAKEROOT)
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/* $(FAKEROOT)
-	rm -f $(FAKEROOT)/lib
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)/lib
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/lib/* $(FAKEROOT)/lib
-	rm -f $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/lib/rustlib/* $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib
-	rm -f $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib/src
-	mkdir $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib/src
-	ln -s $(SYSROOT)/lib/rustlib/src/* $(FAKEROOT)/lib/rustlib/src
-	mkdir -p $(FAKEROOT)/share/locale
-	touch $(FAKEROOT)/share/locale/zh-CN
-	$(RUSTC) $< --sysroot $(FAKEROOT) -Ztranslate-lang=zh-CN 2>&1 | $(CGREP) "`\$sysroot/share/locales/\$locale` is not a directory"
diff --git a/tests/run-make/translation/rmake.rs b/tests/run-make/translation/rmake.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..86078888c2e18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run-make/translation/rmake.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+//! Smoke test for the rustc diagnostics translation infrastructure.
+//!
+//! # References
+//!
+//! - Current tracking issue: <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/132181>.
+//! - Old tracking issue: <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/100717>
+//! - Initial translation infra implementation: <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/95512>.
+
+// This test uses symbolic links to stub out a fake sysroot to save testing time.
+//@ needs-symlink
+//@ needs-subprocess
+
+#![deny(warnings)]
+
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+use run_make_support::rustc::sysroot;
+use run_make_support::{cwd, rfs, run_in_tmpdir, rustc};
+
+fn main() {
+    builtin_fallback_bundle();
+    additional_primary_bundle();
+    missing_slug_prefers_fallback_bundle();
+    broken_primary_bundle_prefers_fallback_bundle();
+    locale_sysroot();
+    missing_sysroot();
+    file_sysroot();
+}
+
+/// Check that the test works normally, using the built-in fallback bundle.
+fn builtin_fallback_bundle() {
+    rustc().input("test.rs").run_fail().assert_stderr_contains("struct literal body without path");
+}
+
+/// Check that a primary bundle can be loaded and will be preferentially used where possible.
+fn additional_primary_bundle() {
+    rustc()
+        .input("test.rs")
+        .arg("-Ztranslate-additional-ftl=working.ftl")
+        .run_fail()
+        .assert_stderr_contains("this is a test message");
+}
+
+/// Check that a primary bundle without the desired message will use the fallback bundle.
+fn missing_slug_prefers_fallback_bundle() {
+    rustc()
+        .input("test.rs")
+        .arg("-Ztranslate-additional-ftl=missing.ftl")
+        .run_fail()
+        .assert_stderr_contains("struct literal body without path");
+}
+
+/// Check that a primary bundle with a broken message (e.g. an interpolated variable is not
+/// provided) will use the fallback bundle.
+fn broken_primary_bundle_prefers_fallback_bundle() {
+    // FIXME(#135817): as of the rmake.rs port, the compiler actually ICEs on the additional
+    // `broken.ftl`, even though the original intention seems to be that it should gracefully
+    // failover to the fallback bundle. On `aarch64-apple-darwin`, somehow it *doesn't* ICE.
+
+    rustc()
+        .env("RUSTC_ICE", "0") // disable ICE dump file, not needed
+        .input("test.rs")
+        .arg("-Ztranslate-additional-ftl=broken.ftl")
+        .run_fail();
+}
+
+#[track_caller]
+fn shallow_symlink_dir_entries(src_dir: &Path, dst_dir: &Path) {
+    for entry in rfs::read_dir(src_dir) {
+        let entry = entry.unwrap();
+        let src_entry_path = entry.path();
+        let src_filename = src_entry_path.file_name().unwrap();
+        let meta = rfs::symlink_metadata(&src_entry_path);
+        if meta.is_symlink() || meta.is_file() {
+            rfs::symlink_file(&src_entry_path, dst_dir.join(src_filename));
+        } else if meta.is_dir() {
+            rfs::symlink_dir(&src_entry_path, dst_dir.join(src_filename));
+        } else {
+            unreachable!()
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[track_caller]
+fn shallow_symlink_dir_entries_materialize_single_dir(
+    src_dir: &Path,
+    dst_dir: &Path,
+    dir_filename: &str,
+) {
+    shallow_symlink_dir_entries(src_dir, dst_dir);
+
+    let dst_symlink_meta = rfs::symlink_metadata(dst_dir.join(dir_filename));
+
+    if dst_symlink_meta.is_file() || dst_symlink_meta.is_dir() {
+        unreachable!();
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(windows)]
+    {
+        use std::os::windows::fs::FileTypeExt as _;
+        if dst_symlink_meta.file_type().is_symlink_file() {
+            rfs::remove_file(dst_dir.join(dir_filename));
+        } else if dst_symlink_meta.file_type().is_symlink_dir() {
+            rfs::remove_dir(dst_dir.join(dir_filename));
+        } else {
+            unreachable!();
+        }
+    }
+    #[cfg(not(windows))]
+    {
+        rfs::remove_file(dst_dir.join(dir_filename));
+    }
+
+    rfs::create_dir_all(dst_dir.join(dir_filename));
+}
+
+#[track_caller]
+fn setup_fakeroot_parents() -> PathBuf {
+    let sysroot = sysroot();
+    let fakeroot = cwd().join("fakeroot");
+    rfs::create_dir_all(&fakeroot);
+    shallow_symlink_dir_entries_materialize_single_dir(&sysroot, &fakeroot, "lib");
+    shallow_symlink_dir_entries_materialize_single_dir(
+        &sysroot.join("lib"),
+        &fakeroot.join("lib"),
+        "rustlib",
+    );
+    shallow_symlink_dir_entries_materialize_single_dir(
+        &sysroot.join("lib").join("rustlib"),
+        &fakeroot.join("lib").join("rustlib"),
+        "src",
+    );
+    shallow_symlink_dir_entries(
+        &sysroot.join("lib").join("rustlib").join("src"),
+        &fakeroot.join("lib").join("rustlib").join("src"),
+    );
+    fakeroot
+}
+
+/// Check that a locale can be loaded from the sysroot given a language identifier by making a local
+/// copy of the sysroot and adding the custom locale to it.
+fn locale_sysroot() {
+    run_in_tmpdir(|| {
+        let fakeroot = setup_fakeroot_parents();
+
+        // When download-rustc is enabled, real sysroot will have a share directory. Delete the link
+        // to it.
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(fakeroot.join("share"));
+
+        let fake_locale_path = fakeroot.join("share").join("locale").join("zh-CN");
+        rfs::create_dir_all(&fake_locale_path);
+        rfs::symlink_file(
+            cwd().join("working.ftl"),
+            fake_locale_path.join("basic-translation.ftl"),
+        );
+
+        rustc()
+            .env("RUSTC_ICE", "0")
+            .input("test.rs")
+            .sysroot(&fakeroot)
+            .arg("-Ztranslate-lang=zh-CN")
+            .run_fail()
+            .assert_stderr_contains("this is a test message");
+    });
+}
+
+/// Check that the compiler errors out when the sysroot requested cannot be found. This test might
+/// start failing if there actually exists a Klingon translation of rustc's error messages.
+fn missing_sysroot() {
+    run_in_tmpdir(|| {
+        rustc()
+            .input("test.rs")
+            .arg("-Ztranslate-lang=tlh")
+            .run_fail()
+            .assert_stderr_contains("missing locale directory");
+    });
+}
+
+/// Check that the compiler errors out when the directory for the locale in the sysroot is actually
+/// a file.
+fn file_sysroot() {
+    run_in_tmpdir(|| {
+        let fakeroot = setup_fakeroot_parents();
+        rfs::create_dir_all(fakeroot.join("share").join("locale"));
+        rfs::write(fakeroot.join("share").join("locale").join("zh-CN"), b"not a dir");
+
+        rustc()
+            .input("test.rs")
+            .sysroot(&fakeroot)
+            .arg("-Ztranslate-lang=zh-CN")
+            .run_fail()
+            .assert_stderr_contains("is not a directory");
+    });
+}