diff --git a/src/timezone/zic.c b/src/timezone/zic.c
index 8d4347a..41b9a55 100644
--- a/src/timezone/zic.c
+++ b/src/timezone/zic.c
@@ -811,13 +811,19 @@ dolink(char const * fromfield, char const * tofield)
 			link_errno = link(fromname, toname) == 0 ? 0 : errno;
 		if (link_errno != 0)
 		{
+#ifdef HAVE_SYMLINK
 			const char *s = fromfield;
 			const char *t;
 			char	   *p;
 			size_t		dotdots = 0;
 			char	   *symlinkcontents;
 			int			symlink_result;
+#endif
 
+			if (!mkdirs(toname))
+				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+
+#ifdef HAVE_SYMLINK
 			do
 				t = s;
 			while ((s = strchr(s, '/'))
@@ -838,6 +844,7 @@ dolink(char const * fromfield, char const * tofield)
 							strerror(link_errno));
 			}
 			else
+#endif
 			{
 				FILE	   *fp,
 						   *tp;