diff --git a/dep.mk b/dep.mk
index d5374bf1..bad90ec7 100644
--- a/dep.mk
+++ b/dep.mk
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ include $(RACK_DIR)/arch.mk
 
 # The install location for `make install`
 DEP_LOCAL ?= dep
+$(shell mkdir -p $(DEP_LOCAL))
 DEP_PATH := $(abspath $(DEP_LOCAL))
 
 DEP_FLAGS += -g -O3 -march=nocona
@@ -45,11 +46,6 @@ $(DEPS): export LDFLAGS = $(DEP_LDFLAGS)
 
 dep: $(DEPS)
 
-$(DEPS): | dep_create_dir
-
-dep_create_dir:
-	mkdir -p $(DEP_LOCAL)
-
 cleandep:
 ifeq ($(DEP_LOCAL), .)
 	$(error Refusing to clean cwd)