diff --git a/target/ext2/ext2root.mk b/target/ext2/ext2root.mk
index 08a407eab5..4ebb981429 100644
--- a/target/ext2/ext2root.mk
+++ b/target/ext2/ext2root.mk
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ $(EXT2_BASE): host-fakeroot makedevs genext2fs
 	@rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/man
 	@rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/share/man
 	@rm -rf $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/info
-	@rmdir -p --ignore-fail-on-non-empty $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/share
+	@test -d $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/share && \
+		rmdir -p --ignore-fail-on-non-empty $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/share
 	-/sbin/ldconfig -r $(TARGET_DIR) 2>/dev/null
 	# Use fakeroot to pretend all target binaries are owned by root
 	rm -f $(STAGING_DIR)/_fakeroot.$(notdir $(EXT2_TARGET))