diff --git a/pylib/anki/collection.py b/pylib/anki/collection.py
index 2a865f93e..cfa2c3cdb 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/collection.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/collection.py
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ class _Collection:
     ls: int
     conf: Dict[str, Any]
     _undo: List[Any]
-    backend: RustBackend
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -83,6 +82,7 @@ class _Collection:
         log: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         self.backend = backend
+        self.tr = backend.translate
         self._debugLog = log
         self.db = db
         self.path = db._path
diff --git a/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py b/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py
index cdd9d9603..def276f30 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/rsbackend.py
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ class RustBackend:
             pb.BackendInput(trash_media_files=pb.TrashMediaFilesIn(fnames=fnames))
         )
 
-    def translate(self, key: TR, **kwargs: Union[str, int, float]):
+    def translate(self, key: TR, **kwargs: Union[str, int, float]) -> str:
         return self._run_command(
             pb.BackendInput(translate_string=translate_string_in(key, **kwargs))
         ).translate_string
diff --git a/pylib/anki/stats.py b/pylib/anki/stats.py
index d336b6b61..2f24babe6 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/stats.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/stats.py
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@ class CardStats:
                     next = c.due
                 next = self.date(next)
             if next:
-                self.addLine(
-                    self.col.backend.translate(TR.STATISTICS_DUE_DATE), next,
-                )
+                self.addLine(self.col.tr(TR.STATISTICS_DUE_DATE), next)
             if c.queue == QUEUE_TYPE_REV:
                 self.addLine(
                     _("Interval"), self.col.backend.format_time_span(c.ivl * 86400)
@@ -278,9 +276,7 @@ from revlog where id > ? """
     def _dueInfo(self, tot, num) -> str:
         i: List[str] = []
         self._line(
-            i,
-            _("Total"),
-            self.col.backend.translate(TR.STATISTICS_REVIEWS, reviews=tot),
+            i, _("Total"), self.col.tr(TR.STATISTICS_REVIEWS, reviews=tot),
         )
         self._line(i, _("Average"), self._avgDay(tot, num, _("reviews")))
         tomorrow = self.col.db.scalar(
@@ -457,7 +453,7 @@ group by day order by day"""
             self._line(
                 i,
                 _("Average answer time"),
-                self.col.backend.translate(
+                self.col.tr(
                     TR.STATISTICS_AVERAGE_ANSWER_TIME,
                     **{"cards-per-minute": perMin, "average-seconds": average_secs},
                 ),
diff --git a/pylib/tests/test_collection.py b/pylib/tests/test_collection.py
index 734ca5fa9..8c0985426 100644
--- a/pylib/tests/test_collection.py
+++ b/pylib/tests/test_collection.py
@@ -153,12 +153,11 @@ def test_furigana():
 
 def test_translate():
     d = getEmptyCol()
-    tr = d.backend.translate
     no_uni = without_unicode_isolation
 
     assert (
-        tr(TR.CARD_TEMPLATE_RENDERING_FRONT_SIDE_PROBLEM)
+        d.tr(TR.CARD_TEMPLATE_RENDERING_FRONT_SIDE_PROBLEM)
         == "Front template has a problem:"
     )
-    assert no_uni(tr(TR.STATISTICS_REVIEWS, reviews=1)) == "1 review"
-    assert no_uni(tr(TR.STATISTICS_REVIEWS, reviews=2)) == "2 reviews"
+    assert no_uni(d.tr(TR.STATISTICS_REVIEWS, reviews=1)) == "1 review"
+    assert no_uni(d.tr(TR.STATISTICS_REVIEWS, reviews=2)) == "2 reviews"