diff --git a/package/pkg-utils.mk b/package/pkg-utils.mk
index b17b5465af..d88a14ab0f 100644
--- a/package/pkg-utils.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-utils.mk
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PER_PACKAGE_DIRECTORIES),y)
 # $2: 'host' or 'target'
 # $3: destination directory
 define per-package-rsync
+	mkdir -p $(3)
 	$(foreach pkg,$(1),\
 		rsync -a --link-dest=$(PER_PACKAGE_DIR)/$(pkg)/$(2)/ \
 		$(PER_PACKAGE_DIR)/$(pkg)/$(2)/ \