diff --git a/package/dropbear/S50dropbear b/package/dropbear/S50dropbear
index a343b9e1c..f36165ae4 100644
--- a/package/dropbear/S50dropbear
+++ b/package/dropbear/S50dropbear
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ start() {
 	DROPBEAR_ARGS="$DROPBEAR_ARGS -R"
 
 	echo -n "Starting dropbear sshd: "
-	# Make sure dropbear directory exists
-	if [ ! -d /etc/dropbear ] ; then
-		mkdir -p /etc/dropbear
-	fi
 	umask 077
 	start-stop-daemon -S -q -p /var/run/dropbear.pid \
 		--exec /usr/sbin/dropbear -- $DROPBEAR_ARGS
diff --git a/package/dropbear/dropbear.mk b/package/dropbear/dropbear.mk
index 2ac621198..3a391694e 100644
--- a/package/dropbear/dropbear.mk
+++ b/package/dropbear/dropbear.mk
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ define DROPBEAR_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
 	for f in $(DROPBEAR_TARGET_BINS); do \
 		ln -snf ../sbin/dropbear $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/bin/$$f ; \
 	done
+	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR)/etc/dropbear
 endef
 
 $(eval $(autotools-package))