diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 86a4053641..41ef2af864 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ ffplay: ffmpeg$(EXE)
 
 install: all
 	$(MAKE) -C libavcodec install
+	install -d $(prefix)/bin
 	install -s -m 755 $(PROG) $(prefix)/bin
 	ln -sf ffmpeg $(prefix)/bin/ffplay 
 
diff --git a/libavcodec/Makefile b/libavcodec/Makefile
index 9c3c15286c..05072caecb 100644
--- a/libavcodec/Makefile
+++ b/libavcodec/Makefile
@@ -134,9 +134,10 @@ motion-test: motion_test.o $(LIB)
 
 install: all
 ifeq ($(BUILD_SHARED),yes)
+	install -d $(prefix)/lib
 	install -s -m 755 $(SLIB) $(prefix)/lib/libavcodec-$(VERSION).so
-	ln -sf $(prefix)/lib/libavcodec-$(VERSION).so $(prefix)/lib/libavcodec.so
-	ldconfig
+	ln -sf libavcodec-$(VERSION).so $(prefix)/lib/libavcodec.so
+	ldconfig || true
 	mkdir -p $(prefix)/include/ffmpeg
 	install -m 644 avcodec.h $(prefix)/include/ffmpeg/avcodec.h
 	install -m 644 common.h $(prefix)/include/ffmpeg/common.h