diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e1029be39503fd4eb6cf32a42631e57633b83bd3..2fa6fd20d6e567dd2d7c36511448f318ebbf565c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ update-sources:
 define MAKE_TARGET
 
 $(1)_$(2):
+	@mkdir -p $(2)
 	$(QUIET_LANG) $(2) -f ../makefile.locale $(1) lang=$(2)
 
 $(1): $(1)_$(2)