diff --git a/pelican/generators.py b/pelican/generators.py
index 4f19828c..605bd6f7 100755
--- a/pelican/generators.py
+++ b/pelican/generators.py
@@ -392,11 +392,12 @@ class PdfGenerator(Generator):
         # since we write our own files
         info(u' Generating PDF files...')
         pdf_path = os.path.join(self.output_path, 'pdf')
-        try:
-            os.mkdir(pdf_path)
-        except OSError:
-            error("Couldn't create the pdf output folder in " + pdf_path)
-            pass
+        if not os.path.exists(pdf_path):
+            try:
+                os.mkdir(pdf_path)
+            except OSError:
+                error("Couldn't create the pdf output folder in " + pdf_path)
+                pass
 
         for article in self.context['articles']:
             self._create_pdf(article, pdf_path)