diff --git a/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly b/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly
index d30deff0..baa5f78a 100644
--- a/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly
+++ b/aspectwerkz/plugin.jelly
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@
       <!-- TODO: only run aspectc if sources are newer than target
            XML definition file -->
 
+      <ant:mkdir dir="${maven.aspectwerkz.build.dir}"/>
+
       <ant:java dir="${maven.build.dir}" failonerror="true" fork="true"
           classname="org.codehaus.aspectwerkz.attribdef.definition.AspectC">