diff --git a/data/tags/Makefile.am b/data/tags/Makefile.am
index 3d75c88872..8ab943ab24 100644
--- a/data/tags/Makefile.am
+++ b/data/tags/Makefile.am
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ DISTCLEANFILES = $(tagsdata_data_files)
 
 
 gimp-tags-default.xml: gimp-tags-default.xml.in $(wildcard $(top_srcdir)/po-tags/*.po)
+	mkdir -p $(top_builddir)/po-tags/
 	$(INTLTOOL_MERGE) $(top_srcdir)/po-tags $< $(@) -x -u -c $(top_builddir)/po-tags/.intltool-merge-cache