diff --git a/libraries/Makefile b/libraries/Makefile
index 9ff8db4..5011dd7 100644
--- a/libraries/Makefile
+++ b/libraries/Makefile
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ BOOTSTRAPPING_FLAGS = $(CABAL_GHC_FLAGS) -DCABAL_VERSION=$(CABAL_VERSION) -odir
 boot: ifBuildable/ifBuildable cabal-bin bootstrapping.conf
 
 cabal-bin: cabal-bin.hs
+	mkdir $(HERE_ABS)/bootstrapping
 	$(GHC) $(BOOTSTRAPPING_FLAGS) --make cabal-bin -o cabal-bin
 
 bootstrapping.conf: cabal-bin
@@ -312,7 +313,7 @@ clean: $(foreach SUBDIR,$(SUBDIRS),clean.library.$(SUBDIR))
 	-cd filepath && $(CABAL) clean --distpref=dist-bootstrapping
 	-cd Cabal    && $(CABAL) clean --distpref=dist-bootstrapping
 	-cd hpc      && $(CABAL) clean --distpref=dist-bootstrapping
-	$(RM) -rf bootstrapping/*
+	$(RM) -rfd bootstrapping
 	$(RM) -f bootstrapping.conf     bootstrapping.conf.old
 	$(RM) -f bootstrapping.conf.tmp bootstrapping.conf.tmp.old
 	$(RM) -f cabal-bin cabal-bin.exe