diff --git a/jpm/commands.janet b/jpm/commands.janet
index 4fd2f0c..f59afc1 100644
--- a/jpm/commands.janet
+++ b/jpm/commands.janet
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@
   (def tree-bin (string abs-tree sep "bin"))
   (def tree-lib (string abs-tree sep "lib"))
   (def tree-man (string abs-tree sep "man"))
+  (create-dirs abs-tree)
   (os/mkdir abs-tree)
   (os/mkdir tree-bin)
   (os/mkdir tree-lib)
diff --git a/jpm/declare.janet b/jpm/declare.janet
index d1fa2be..b3f0252 100644
--- a/jpm/declare.janet
+++ b/jpm/declare.janet
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
   (array/push (dyn :installed-files) path)
   (def dir (string (dyn :dest-dir "") destdir))
   (task "install" []
+        (create-dirs dir)
         (os/mkdir dir)
         (copy src dir)))
 
@@ -112,7 +113,6 @@
   (rule metaname []
         (print "generating meta file " metaname "...")
         (flush)
-        (os/mkdir (find-build-dir))
         (create-dirs metaname)
         (spit metaname (string/format
                          "# Metadata for static library %s\n\n%.20p"
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@
     (rule manifest ["uninstall"]
           (print "generating " manifest "...")
           (flush)
+          (create-dirs manifests)
           (os/mkdir manifests)
           (def has-git (os/stat ".git" :mode))
           (def bundle-type (dyn :bundle-type (if has-git :git :local)))
diff --git a/jpm/pm.janet b/jpm/pm.janet
index 5d56d39..75c9960 100644
--- a/jpm/pm.janet
+++ b/jpm/pm.janet
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@
   path to the downloaded or cached soure code."
   [url bundle-type &opt tag shallow]
   (def cache (find-cache))
+  (create-dirs cache)
   (os/mkdir cache)
   (def id (filepath-replace (string bundle-type "_" tag "_" url)))
   (def bundle-dir (string cache "/" id))
@@ -213,6 +214,7 @@
   # initialize bundle index
   (unless installed-bundle-index
     (set installed-bundle-index @{})
+    (create-dirs (find-manifest-dir))
     (os/mkdir (find-manifest-dir))
     (each manifest (os/dir (find-manifest-dir))
       (def bundle-data (parse (slurp (string (find-manifest-dir) "/" manifest))))