diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5231bb6faf..2219f2b08e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ endif
 
 $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/.root:
 	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR)
+	mkdir -p $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/autotools-stamps
 	if ! [ -d "$(TARGET_DIR)/bin" ]; then \
 		if [ -d "$(TARGET_SKELETON)" ]; then \
 			cp -fa $(TARGET_SKELETON)/* $(TARGET_DIR)/; \
diff --git a/package/Makefile.autotools.in b/package/Makefile.autotools.in
index 1a38d4ffba..6d62c047a5 100644
--- a/package/Makefile.autotools.in
+++ b/package/Makefile.autotools.in
@@ -258,7 +258,6 @@ $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/autotools-stamps/%_target_installed:
 	$(if $(BR2_HAVE_DOCUMENTATION),,for d in doc share/doc; do \
 		rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/$$d $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/$$d; \
 	done)
-	$(Q)mkdir -p $(@D)
 	touch $@
 
 $(BUILD_DIR)/%/.stamp_cleaned: