diff --git a/win32/nls/nls.vcxproj b/win32/nls/nls.vcxproj
index f6411e0b..13143bfb 100644
--- a/win32/nls/nls.vcxproj
+++ b/win32/nls/nls.vcxproj
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
   <ItemDefinitionGroup>
     <PreBuildEvent>
       <Command>cd ..\..\po
-rmdir /q /s "$(OutDir)\locale"
+if exist "$(OutDir)\locale" rmdir /q /s "$(OutDir)\locale"
 mkdir "$(OutDir)\locale"
 for %%A in (*.po) do (
 mkdir "$(OutDir)\locale\%%~nA\LC_MESSAGES"
@@ -40,3 +40,4 @@ mkdir "$(OutDir)\locale\%%~nA\LC_MESSAGES"
   </ItemGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.targets" />
 </Project>
+