diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0e4beb2d3b..daa32a41d8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -583,7 +583,10 @@ define PURGE_LOCALES
 	do \
 		for langdir in $$dir/*; \
 		do \
-			grep -qx $${langdir##*/} $(LOCALE_WHITELIST) || rm -rf $$langdir; \
+			if [ -e "$${langdir}" ]; \
+			then \
+				grep -qx "$${langdir##*/}" $(LOCALE_WHITELIST) || rm -rf $$langdir; \
+			fi \
 		done; \
 	done
 	if [ -d $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/share/X11/locale ]; \