diff --git a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/Makefile.am b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/Makefile.am
index d4e4a4a40..2d3d2611e 100644
--- a/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/Makefile.am
+++ b/system-settings/plugins/keyfile/Makefile.am
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ libnm_settings_plugin_keyfile_la_SOURCES = \
 	writer.c \
 	writer.h
 
+keyfile_dir=$(sysconfdir)/NetworkManager/system-connections
+
 libnm_settings_plugin_keyfile_la_CPPFLAGS = \
 	$(GLIB_CFLAGS) \
 	$(GMODULE_CFLAGS) \
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ libnm_settings_plugin_keyfile_la_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/include \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/libnm-util \
 	-I${top_srcdir}/libnm-glib \
-	-DKEYFILE_DIR=\""$(sysconfdir)/NetworkManager/system-connections"\"
+	-DKEYFILE_DIR=\""$(keyfile_dir)"\"
 
 libnm_settings_plugin_keyfile_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
 libnm_settings_plugin_keyfile_la_LIBADD = \
@@ -37,3 +39,8 @@ else
 libnm_settings_plugin_keyfile_la_LIBADD += \
 	$(GIO_LIBS)
 endif
+
+install-data-hook:
+	mkdir -p $(keyfile_dir)
+
+