diff --git a/etc/Makefile b/etc/Makefile
index 81ef45a09f1d..c0806e811e86 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile
+++ b/etc/Makefile
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ MTREES+=	mtree/BSD.sendmail.dist		/
 MTREES+=	../${mtree}			/
 .endfor
 
-distrib-dirs:
+distrib-dirs: ${MTREES:N/*}
 	@set ${MTREES}; \
 	while test $$# -ge 2; do \
 		m=${.CURDIR}/$$1; \