diff --git a/Makefile.rules b/Makefile.rules
index a4bdb1c93a0..835773bfa74 100644
--- a/Makefile.rules
+++ b/Makefile.rules
@@ -459,12 +459,12 @@ endif
 # Handle the CONFIG_FILES options
 #---------------------------------------------------------
 ifdef CONFIG_FILES
-install:: $(sysconfdir) install-config-files
+install:: install-config-files
 
 $(sysconfdir):
 	$(MKDIR) $(sysconfdir)
 
-install-config-files: $(CONFIG_FILES)
+install-config-files: $(sysconfdir) $(CONFIG_FILES)
 	$(VERB) echo Installing Configuration Files To $(sysconfdir)
 	$(VERB) for file in $(CONFIG_FILES); do \
 		$(INSTALL) $(SourceDir)/$${file} $(sysconfdir) ; \