diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/actions/SymlinkAction.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/actions/SymlinkAction.java
index f1ac41a691f37a..73b4836405ae8c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/actions/SymlinkAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/actions/SymlinkAction.java
@@ -274,7 +274,10 @@ private void updateInputMtimeIfNeeded(ActionExecutionContext actionExecutionCont
         linkPath.setLastModifiedTime(Path.NOW_SENTINEL_TIME);
       } else {
         // Should only happen if the Fileset included no links.
-        actionExecutionContext.getExecRoot().getRelative(getInputPath()).createDirectory();
+        actionExecutionContext
+            .getExecRoot()
+            .getRelative(getInputPath())
+            .createDirectoryAndParents();
       }
     } catch (IOException e) {
       String message =