diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5ce410c..48f2f5f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -52,7 +52,13 @@ $(MOFILES): %.mo: %.po
 
 $(POFILES): %: $(POT)
 	@echo "msgmerge: $@"
-	msgmerge -U $@ $(POT)
+	podir=`dirname $@` ; \
+	if test ! -d $$podir; then mkdir -p $$podir; fi
+	if test -f $@; then \
+	  msgmerge -U $@ $(POT); \
+	else \
+	  cp $(POT) $@; \
+	fi
 	touch $@
 
 $(POT): $(XSRCFILES) $(XJSFILES) po/pot.sed