diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7b2844a..2a51ee4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ $(BUILDDIR)/%: %
 	cp $< $@
 
 $(LANGFILTER): langfilter/*.hs langfilter/langfilter.cabal
-	mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	cabal build -v0 all
+	mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	find dist-newstyle -name $(notdir $@) \
 	  -print -type f -exec cp {} $(TMPDIR) \;