diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 628e0c8afc..35261aced4 100755
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST([EXTRAVERSION])
 
 if test "$with_pkg_git_version" = "yes"; then
-	if test -d "${srcdir}/.git"; then
+	if test -e "${srcdir}/.git"; then
 		AC_DEFINE([GIT_VERSION], [1], [include git version info])
 	else	with_pkg_git_version="no"
 		AC_MSG_WARN([--with-pkg-git-version given, but this is not a git checkout])
diff --git a/tests/subdir.am b/tests/subdir.am
index bce08c4034..5efdcbbd4c 100644
--- a/tests/subdir.am
+++ b/tests/subdir.am
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ check_PROGRAMS += \
 endif
 
 tests/lib/cli/test_commands_defun.c: vtysh/vtysh_cmd.c
+	mkdir -p tests/lib/cli
 	sed \
 		-e 's%"vtysh/vtysh\.h"%"tests/helpers/c/tests.h"%' \
 		-e 's/vtysh_init_cmd/test_init_cmd/' \
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ tests/lib/cli/test_commands_defun.c: vtysh/vtysh_cmd.c
 CLEANFILES += tests/lib/cli/test_commands_defun.c
 
 tests/isisd/test_fuzz_isis_tlv_tests.h: $(top_srcdir)/tests/isisd/test_fuzz_isis_tlv_tests.h.gz
+	mkdir -p tests/isisd
 	gzip -d < $(top_srcdir)/tests/isisd/test_fuzz_isis_tlv_tests.h.gz > "$@"
 CLEANFILES += tests/isisd/test_fuzz_isis_tlv_tests.h
 
diff --git a/yang/embedmodel.py b/yang/embedmodel.py
index 52671f99a8..624a11da9d 100644
--- a/yang/embedmodel.py
+++ b/yang/embedmodel.py
@@ -3,11 +3,18 @@
 # YANG module to C wrapper
 # written 2018 by David Lamparter, placed in Public Domain.
 
-import sys, string, re
+import sys
+import os
+import string
+import re
 
 inname = sys.argv[1]
 outname = sys.argv[2]
 
+outdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(outname))
+if not os.path.isdir(outdir):
+    os.makedirs(outdir)
+
 # these are regexes to avoid a compile-time/host dependency on yang-tools
 # or python-yang.  Cross-compiling FRR is already somewhat involved, no need
 # to make it even harder.