diff --git a/scripts/build b/scripts/build
index a75a55a..bc008fd 100755
--- a/scripts/build
+++ b/scripts/build
@@ -2,4 +2,9 @@
 
 echo "Building..."
 
+# pslua writes --lua-output-file dist/Test_Assert.lua with withFile WriteMode,
+# which does not create parent directories. dist/ is gitignored and absent on a
+# fresh checkout, so ensure it exists before spago build runs the pslua backend.
+mkdir -p dist
+
 spago build --quiet