diff --git a/platform/build-scripts/src/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/DistributionJARsBuilder.kt b/platform/build-scripts/src/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/DistributionJARsBuilder.kt
index 6a6770d39eca..e26e29d68597 100644
--- a/platform/build-scripts/src/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/DistributionJARsBuilder.kt
+++ b/platform/build-scripts/src/org/jetbrains/intellij/build/impl/DistributionJARsBuilder.kt
@@ -879,6 +879,8 @@ suspend fun layoutDistribution(layout: BaseLayout,
                                includedModules: Collection<ModuleItem>,
                                moduleWithSearchableOptions: Set<String>,
                                context: BuildContext): Pair<List<DistributionFileEntry>, Path> {
+  Files.createDirectories(targetDirectory)
+
   if (copyFiles) {
     withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
       if (!layout.moduleExcludes.isEmpty()) {