diff --git a/check b/check
index e4d76737..77a06b00 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -538,6 +538,13 @@ for section in $HOST_OPTIONS_SECTIONS; do
 		fi
 	fi
 
+	mkdir -p $RESULT_BASE
+	if [ ! -d $RESULT_BASE ]; then
+		echo "failed to create results directory $RESULT_BASE"
+		status=1
+		exit
+	fi
+
 	if $OPTIONS_HAVE_SECTIONS; then
 		echo "SECTION       -- $section"
 	fi
diff --git a/common/config b/common/config
index a788be6b..64f87057 100644
--- a/common/config
+++ b/common/config
@@ -665,11 +665,6 @@ get_next_config() {
 	# set default RESULT_BASE
 	if [ -z "$RESULT_BASE" ]; then
 		export RESULT_BASE="$here/results/"
-		mkdir -p ${RESULT_BASE}
-		if [ ! -d ${RESULT_BASE} ]; then
-			echo "failed to create results directory $RESULT_BASE"
-			exit 1
-		fi
 	fi
 
 	if [ "$FSTYP" == "tmpfs" ]; then