diff --git a/etc/Makefile b/etc/Makefile
index 95d473060985..faa79bc44f64 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile
+++ b/etc/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#	$NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.262 2003/11/15 08:50:26 jdolecek Exp $
+#	$NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.263 2003/12/15 09:46:51 lukem Exp $
 #	from: @(#)Makefile	8.7 (Berkeley) 5/25/95
 
 # Environment variables without default values:
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ distribution: check_DESTDIR .WAIT distrib-dirs
 
 .PHONY: MAKEDEV
 MAKEDEV:
+	${_MKTARGET_CREATE}
 	MACHINE=${MACHINE} MACHINE_ARCH=${MACHINE_ARCH} awk -v ETCDIR="${.CURDIR}" -f ${.CURDIR}/MAKEDEV.awk ${.CURDIR}/MAKEDEV.tmpl > ${.TARGET}