diff --git a/package/gutenprint/gutenprint.mk b/package/gutenprint/gutenprint.mk
index e99d62ca79..9cb80c3e95 100644
--- a/package/gutenprint/gutenprint.mk
+++ b/package/gutenprint/gutenprint.mk
@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ GUTENPRINT_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 # Needed, as we touch Makefile.am
 GUTENPRINT_AUTORECONF = YES
 
+# Needed by autoreconf
+define GUTENPRINT_CREATE_M4_DIR
+	mkdir -p $(@D)/m4local
+endef
+GUTENPRINT_POST_PATCH_HOOKS += GUTENPRINT_CREATE_M4_DIR
+HOST_GUTENPRINT_POST_PATCH_HOOKS += GUTENPRINT_CREATE_M4_DIR
+
 GUTENPRINT_DEPENDENCIES = \
 	cups host-pkgconf \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV),libiconv) \