diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index a1c93a87c7..179aae6cdc 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ ${AUTOHEADER:-autoheader}
 libbootstrap()
 {
   i=$1
+  if [ -d ${LIBDIR}/${i} ] ; then
   echo "Entering directory ${LIBDIR}/${i}"
   cd ${LIBDIR}/${i}
   rm -f aclocal.m4
@@ -322,6 +323,9 @@ libbootstrap()
       fi
       rm -rf autom4te*.cache
   fi
+  else
+      echo "Skipping directory ${LIBDIR}/${i}"
+  fi
 }