diff --git a/gerrit/Makefile b/gerrit/Makefile
index 7b9d7eb..6b71a07 100644
--- a/gerrit/Makefile
+++ b/gerrit/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 gerrit-get-plugins:
 	# Make sure Prometheus Metrics exporter plugin is installed
+	mkdir -p $(@D)/plugins
 
 	@echo "Downloading metrics-reporter-prometheus plugin $(GERRIT_BRANCH)"
 	wget $(GERRIT_CI)/plugin-metrics-reporter-prometheus-bazel-master-$(GERRIT_BRANCH)/$(LAST_BUILD)/metrics-reporter-prometheus/metrics-reporter-prometheus.jar \
diff --git a/gerrit/plugins/.empty b/gerrit/plugins/.empty
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
--- a/gerrit/plugins/.empty
+++ /dev/null