diff --git a/cpprules.in b/cpprules.in
index 127464d9..fca0ab39 100644
--- a/cpprules.in
+++ b/cpprules.in
@@ -26,4 +26,5 @@ CPP_SED_MAGIC = $(SED) -e '/^\#  *[0-9][0-9]*  *.*$$/d' \
                        -e '/\@\@$$/s/\@\@$$/\\/'
 
 .pre:
+	@$(MKDIR_P) $(@D)
 	$(AM_V_GEN)$(RAWCPP) $(RAWCPPFLAGS) $(CPP_FILES_FLAGS) < $< | $(CPP_SED_MAGIC) > $@
diff --git a/nls/Makefile.am b/nls/Makefile.am
index 1f40b127..470a0487 100644
--- a/nls/Makefile.am
+++ b/nls/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 x11localedir = $(X11_LOCALEDATADIR)
 specdir = $(docdir)/Compose
 
@@ -101,13 +102,11 @@ locale.dir: locale.dir.pre
 if HAVE_PERL
 doc_sources = Compose/index.xml
 
-Compose/index.xml: Compose
+Compose/index.xml:
+	@$(MKDIR_P) $(@D)
 	$(AM_V_GEN)$(PERL) $(srcdir)/compose-chart.pl \
 	 --index --output="$@" $(locales)
 
-Compose:
-	$(MKDIR_P) $@
-
 clean-local: clean-Compose-dir
 clean-Compose-dir:
 	-rm -rf Compose
@@ -122,11 +121,6 @@ nobase_x11locale_DATA = $(locales:%=%/XLC_LOCALE) $(locales:%=%/Compose)
 EXTRA_DIST += $(nobase_x11locale_DATA:%=%.pre)
 CLEANFILES += $(nobase_x11locale_DATA)
 
-$(nobase_x11locale_DATA): builddirs
-
-builddirs:
-	$(MKDIR_P) $(locales)
-
 if HAVE_PERL
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(PERL)
 TESTS = $(srcdir)/compose-check.pl
@@ -144,6 +138,4 @@ XMLTO_FLAGS += -o $(@D)
 Compose/%.xml: %/Compose.xml
 	$(AM_V_GEN)cp $< $@
 
-$(doc_sources): Compose
-
 endif HAVE_PERL