diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.doc b/sys/unix/Makefile.doc
index 8125d49a7..cef4f936e 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.doc
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.doc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ MDMANCREATE = cat makedefs.6 | $(NHGREP) >
 # DLBMANCREATE = cat dlb.6 | $(NHGREP) | nroff -man - >
 # MDMANCREATE = cat makedefs.6 | $(NHGREP) | nroff -man - >
 
-manpages:
+manpages: $(PREMANPAGES)
 	-$(GAMEMANCREATE) $(MANDIR)/$(GAME).$(MANEXT)
 	-$(RCVRMANCREATE) $(MANDIR)/recover.$(MANEXT)
 	-$(DLBMANCREATE) $(MANDIR)/dlb.$(MANEXT)
diff --git a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370 b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
index 705d39820..26d6b435a 100755
--- a/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
+++ b/sys/unix/hints/macOS.370
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ endif   # WANT_WIN_QT
 
 # manpages directory
 MANDIR=/usr/local/share/man/man6
+PREMANPAGES = checkmandir
 
 ifeq "$(USE_ASAN)" "1"
 CFLAGS +=-fsanitize=address
@@ -522,6 +523,11 @@ $(TARGETPFX)winshim.o : ../win/shim/winshim.c $(HACK_H)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c -o$@ $<
 endif  # WANT_LIBNH
 
+ifdef MAKEFILE_DOC
+checkmandir:
+	@( if test -d $(MANDIR) ; then true ; else mkdir -p $(MANDIR) ; fi )
+endif  # MAKEFILE_DOC
+
 # -- bundle ---
 #
 ifdef MAKEFILE_TOP