diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 57dff42d..1a4d64ee 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ endif
 BUILT_SOURCES = ./include/event2/event-config.h
 
 ./include/event2/event-config.h: config.h
-	$(MKDIR_P) ./include/event2
+	$(MKDIR_P) ./include/event2 || true
 	echo '/* event2/event-config.h' > $@
 	echo ' *' >> $@
 	echo ' * This file was generated by autoconf when libevent was built, and post-' >> $@