diff --git a/board/esd/pmc440/Makefile b/board/esd/pmc440/Makefile
index 4dd9c386cd..68b566c4a6 100644
--- a/board/esd/pmc440/Makefile
+++ b/board/esd/pmc440/Makefile
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@
 #
 
 include $(TOPDIR)/config.mk
+ifneq ($(OBJTREE),$(SRCTREE))
+$(shell mkdir -p $(obj)../common)
+endif
 
 LIB	= $(obj)lib$(BOARD).a