diff --git a/env.scm b/env.scm
index f6162b5..4cf8446 100644
--- a/env.scm
+++ b/env.scm
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ by other environments made."
            (merged (let ((f (or target
                                 (string-append %env-directory
                                                "/" (symbol->string name)))))
-                     (if (directory-exists? f) f (mkdir-p f))))
+                     (if (directory-exists? f) f (begin (mkdir-p f) f))))
            (upper  (mkdtemp* "upper"))
            (work   (mkdtemp* "work"))
            ;; TODO abstract away