diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 4c4dff54b6..a22da0da8e 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ fi
 
 toplevel_check $srcfile
 
-# autopoint: first remove patch if necessary, then run autopoint, then reapply
+# autopoint
+#    older autopoint (< 0.12) has a tendency to complain about mkinstalldirs
+if test -e mkinstalldirs; then rm mkinstalldirs; fi
+#    first remove patch if necessary, then run autopoint, then reapply
 if test -f po/Makefile.in.in;
 then
   patch -p0 -R < common/gettext.patch