diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index 9f1cd85e7..beb60ed1f 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -967,6 +967,7 @@ def scriptedTask(launch: Boolean): Def.Initialize[InputTask[Unit]] = Def.inputTa
 }
 
 lazy val publishLauncher = TaskKey[Unit]("publish-launcher")
+val createSbtwBinDir = taskKey[Unit]("Create sbtw target/bin before native-image")
 
 lazy val sbtwProj = (project in file("sbtw"))
   .enablePlugins(NativeImagePlugin)
@@ -980,7 +981,16 @@ lazy val sbtwProj = (project in file("sbtw"))
     libraryDependencies += "com.github.scopt" %% "scopt" % "4.1.0",
     nativeImageVersion := "23.0",
     nativeImageJvm := "graalvm-java23",
-    nativeImageOutput := (target.value / "bin" / "sbtw").toPath.toFile,
+    createSbtwBinDir := {
+      val d = (target.value / "bin").toPath
+      if (!Files.exists(d)) Files.createDirectories(d)
+    },
+    Compile / nativeImage := (Compile / nativeImage).dependsOn(createSbtwBinDir).value,
+    nativeImageOutput := {
+      val outputDir = (target.value / "bin").toPath
+      if (!Files.exists(outputDir)) Files.createDirectories(outputDir)
+      outputDir.resolve("sbtw").toFile
+    },
     nativeImageOptions ++= Seq(
       "--no-fallback",
       s"--initialize-at-run-time=sbtw",