diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9b0958959a..02f7cda302 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ endif
 
 .PHONY: dirs
 dirs: $(BUILD_DIR) $(STAGING_DIR) $(TARGET_DIR) \
-	$(HOST_DIR) $(HOST_DIR)/usr $(BINARIES_DIR)
+	$(HOST_DIR) $(HOST_DIR)/usr $(HOST_DIR)/lib $(BINARIES_DIR)
 
 $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config/auto.conf: $(BR2_CONFIG)
 	$(MAKE1) $(EXTRAMAKEARGS) HOSTCC="$(HOSTCC_NOCCACHE)" HOSTCXX="$(HOSTCXX_NOCCACHE)" silentoldconfig
@@ -565,6 +565,13 @@ sdk: world
 $(HOST_DIR)/usr: $(HOST_DIR)
 	@ln -snf . $@
 
+$(HOST_DIR)/lib: $(HOST_DIR)
+	@mkdir -p $@
+	@case $(HOSTARCH) in \
+		(*64) ln -snf lib $(@D)/lib64;; \
+		(*)   ln -snf lib $(@D)/lib32;; \
+	esac
+
 # Populating the staging with the base directories is handled by the skeleton package
 $(STAGING_DIR):
 	@mkdir -p $(STAGING_DIR)