diff --git a/xdoc/plugin.jelly b/xdoc/plugin.jelly
index f4fed1bc..e41944c1 100644
--- a/xdoc/plugin.jelly
+++ b/xdoc/plugin.jelly
@@ -460,18 +460,15 @@
         </fileset>
       </copy>
 
-
-      <!-- A hack to make the fileset below work. The files don't have to be
-         present but the directory does. -->
-      <mkdir dir="${maven.docs.src}/stylesheets"/>
-
-      <!-- Copy user supplied stylesheets, can override maven -->
-      <copy todir="${maven.docs.dest}/style" overwrite="true" filtering="no">
-        <fileset dir="${maven.docs.src}/stylesheets">
-          <include name="**/*.css"/>
-        </fileset>
-      </copy>
-
+      <util:available file="${maven.docs.src}/stylesheets">
+        <!-- Copy user supplied stylesheets, can override maven -->
+        <copy todir="${maven.docs.dest}/style" overwrite="true" filtering="no">
+          <fileset dir="${maven.docs.src}/stylesheets">
+            <include name="**/*.css"/>
+          </fileset>
+        </copy>
+      </util:available>
+ 
     </j:if>
   </goal>