diff --git a/man/Makefile b/man/Makefile
index 331c2ca7d..d4f571c33 100644
--- a/man/Makefile
+++ b/man/Makefile
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ build:
 # DESTDIR is for package installs; nominally blank when this is run interactively.
 # See also https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/DESTDIR.html
 install:
+	mkdir -p ./man1
+	cp mlr.1 ./man1
 	mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)/$(INSTALLDIR)
 	cp mlr.1 $(DESTDIR)/$(INSTALLDIR)/mlr.1