diff --git a/acinclude.m4 b/acinclude.m4
index 0d31e857f..cbb68e19e 100644
--- a/acinclude.m4
+++ b/acinclude.m4
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ dnl Write out shared compilation code.
         cat <<'__DOLTCOMPILE__EOF__' >>doltcompile
 libobjdir="${obj%$objbase}.libs"
 if test ! -d "$libobjdir" ; then
-    mkdir "$libobjdir"
+    mkdir -p "$libobjdir"
     mkdir_ret=$?
     if test "$mkdir_ret" -ne 0 && test ! -d "$libobjdir" ; then
         exit $mkdir_ret
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ if test ! -d "$libobjdir" ; then
 fi
 pic_object="$libobjdir/$objbase.o"
 args@<:@$objarg@:>@="$pic_object"
-"${args@<:@@@:>@}" -fPIC -DPIC
+"${args@<:@@@:>@}" -fPIC -DPIC || exit $?
 __DOLTCOMPILE__EOF__
     fi
 
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ args@<:@$objarg@:>@="$non_pic_object"
 __DOLTCOMPILE__EOF__
         if test x$enable_shared = xyes; then
             cat <<'__DOLTCOMPILE__EOF__' >>doltcompile
-"${args@<:@@@:>@}" >/dev/null 2>&1
+"${args@<:@@@:>@}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || exit $?
 __DOLTCOMPILE__EOF__
         else
             cat <<'__DOLTCOMPILE__EOF__' >>doltcompile
-"${args@<:@@@:>@}"
+"${args@<:@@@:>@}" || exit $?
 __DOLTCOMPILE__EOF__
         fi
     fi