diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix
index 2f8cf1be03f..7066ebad87c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
 
   installPhase =
     # FreeBSD's stdenv doesn't use Coreutils.
-    let dashD = if stdenv.isFreeBSD then "-d" else "-D"; in ''
+    let dashD = if stdenv.isFreeBSD then "" else "-D"; in
+    (stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.isFreeBSD "mkdir -p $out/lib ;")
+    + ''
     install ${dashD} -m755 libblas.a "$out/lib/libblas.a"
     install ${dashD} -m755 libblas.so.3.0.3 "$out/lib/libblas.so.3.0.3"
     ln -s libblas.so.3.0.3 "$out/lib/libblas.so.3"