diff --git a/lang/php4/Makefile b/lang/php4/Makefile
index 2a3f9579de14..705f40986962 100644
--- a/lang/php4/Makefile
+++ b/lang/php4/Makefile
@@ -705,6 +705,7 @@ post-install:
 	@${INSTALL_DATA} ${WRKSRC}/php.ini-dist ${PREFIX}/etc
 	@${INSTALL_DATA} ${WRKSRC}/php.ini-recommended ${PREFIX}/etc
 	@${INSTALL_DATA} ${WRKDIR}/php.conf ${PREFIX}/etc
+	@${TOUCH} ${PREFIX}/lib/php/${EXT_DIR}/.keepme
 .if !defined(WITHOUT_APACHE)
 	@${ECHO_CMD} "*****************************************************************************"
 	@${ECHO_CMD} ""
diff --git a/lang/php4/pkg-plist b/lang/php4/pkg-plist
index 9cce21b9950b..fb05a71b4961 100644
--- a/lang/php4/pkg-plist
+++ b/lang/php4/pkg-plist
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ include/php/regex/regex.h
 include/php/regex/regex2.h
 include/php/regex/regex_extra.h
 include/php/regex/utils.h
+lib/php/%%EXT_DIR%%/.keepme
 lib/php/build/Makefile.global
 lib/php/build/acinclude.m4
 lib/php/build/mkdep.awk
@@ -241,7 +242,6 @@ lib/php/build/shtool
 @dirrm include/php/main
 @dirrm include/php/regex
 @dirrm include/php/
-@exec mkdir %D/lib/php/%%EXT_DIR%%
 @unexec rmdir %D/lib/php/%%EXT_DIR%% 2> /dev/null || true
 @dirrm lib/php/build
 @unexec rmdir %D/lib/php 2> /dev/null || true