diff --git a/em_multistrap b/em_multistrap
index b99028d..01fd5cc 100755
--- a/em_multistrap
+++ b/em_multistrap
@@ -160,9 +160,12 @@ $libdir = "var/lib/apt/";     # lists
 $etcdir = "etc/apt/";         # sources
 $dpkgdir = "var/lib/dpkg/";   # state
 
-my $ret = mkdir ("$dir") if (not -d "$dir");
-die ("Unable to create directory '$dir'\n")
-	if ($ret == 0);
+if (not -d "$dir")
+{
+	my $ret = mkdir ("$dir");
+	die ("Unable to create directory '$dir' $!\n")
+		if ($ret == 0);
+}
 $dir = `realpath $dir`;
 chomp ($dir);
 $dir .= ($dir =~ m:/$:) ? '' : "/";