diff --git a/builder/builder-module.c b/builder/builder-module.c
index 11b0b380d..faf5b3ee3 100644
--- a/builder/builder-module.c
+++ b/builder/builder-module.c
@@ -654,7 +654,11 @@ builder_module_build (BuilderModule *self,
 
       if (use_builddir)
         {
-          build_dir = g_file_get_child (source_dir, "_build");
+          build_dir = g_file_get_child (source_dir, "_xdg_app_build");
+
+          if (!g_file_make_directory (build_dir, NULL, error))
+            return FALSE;
+
           if (self->cmake)
             {
               configure_cmd = "cmake";