diff --git a/board/nvidia/harmony/Makefile b/board/nvidia/harmony/Makefile
index 9fb6b57..ebd8e02 100644
--- a/board/nvidia/harmony/Makefile
+++ b/board/nvidia/harmony/Makefile
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 
 include $(TOPDIR)/config.mk
 
+ifneq ($(OBJTREE),$(SRCTREE))
+$(shell mkdir -p $(obj)../common)
+endif
+
 LIB	= $(obj)lib$(BOARD).o
 
 COBJS	:= $(BOARD).o
diff --git a/board/nvidia/seaboard/Makefile b/board/nvidia/seaboard/Makefile
index 9fb6b57..ebd8e02 100644
--- a/board/nvidia/seaboard/Makefile
+++ b/board/nvidia/seaboard/Makefile
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 
 include $(TOPDIR)/config.mk
 
+ifneq ($(OBJTREE),$(SRCTREE))
+$(shell mkdir -p $(obj)../common)
+endif
+
 LIB	= $(obj)lib$(BOARD).o
 
 COBJS	:= $(BOARD).o