diff --git a/scripts/archive_buildstats.py b/scripts/archive_buildstats.py
index 56befe3..a8b7e46 100755
--- a/scripts/archive_buildstats.py
+++ b/scripts/archive_buildstats.py
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@ def main():
     dest = sys.argv[2]
     target = sys.argv[3]
     dest_bsdir = os.path.join(dest, target, "buildstats")
-    subprocess.run(["mkdir", "-p", dest_bsdir])
 
     build_bsdir = os.path.join(builddir, "tmp/buildstats")
     if not os.path.exists(build_bsdir):
         sys.exit(0)
+
+    subprocess.run(["mkdir", "-p", dest_bsdir])
     hostname = socket.gethostname()
     os.chdir(build_bsdir)
     fail_path = os.path.join(dest, target, "intermittent_failure_host_data")
@@ -36,4 +37,4 @@ def main():
             subprocess.check_call("tar -I zstd -cf "+output+" "+timestamp+"/*", shell=True)
             subprocess.run(["mv", output, dest_bsdir])
 
-main()
\ No newline at end of file
+main()