diff --git a/source3/script/tests/test_smbget.sh b/source3/script/tests/test_smbget.sh
index 05925f33a01..3f0aac53ad3 100755
--- a/source3/script/tests/test_smbget.sh
+++ b/source3/script/tests/test_smbget.sh
@@ -134,6 +134,27 @@ test_recursive_U()
 	return 0
 }
 
+test_recursive_existing_dir()
+{
+	clear_download_area
+	mkdir dir1
+	$SMBGET -v -R -U$USERNAME%$PASSWORD smb://$SERVER_IP/smbget/
+	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+		echo 'ERROR: RC does not match, expected: 0'
+		return 1
+	fi
+
+	cmp --silent $WORKDIR/testfile ./testfile && \
+	cmp --silent $WORKDIR/dir1/testfile1 ./dir1/testfile1 && \
+	cmp --silent $WORKDIR/dir2/testfile2 ./dir2/testfile2
+	if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+		echo 'ERROR: file content does not match'
+		return 1
+	fi
+
+	return 0
+}
+
 test_resume()
 {
 	clear_download_area
@@ -222,6 +243,9 @@ testit "download single file with rcfile" test_singlefile_rcfile \
 testit "recursive download" test_recursive_U \
 	|| failed=`expr $failed + 1`
 
+testit "recursive download (existing target dir)" test_recursive_existing_dir \
+	|| failed=`expr $failed + 1`
+
 testit "resume download" test_resume \
 	|| failed=`expr $failed + 1`
 
diff --git a/source3/utils/smbget.c b/source3/utils/smbget.c
index 4653c6894e0..ca4bf310466 100644
--- a/source3/utils/smbget.c
+++ b/source3/utils/smbget.c
@@ -190,7 +190,15 @@ static bool smb_download_dir(const char *base, const char *name, int resume)
 	while (*relname == '/') {
 		relname++;
 	}
-	mkdir(relname, 0755);
+
+	if (strlen(relname) > 0) {
+		int rc = mkdir(relname, 0755);
+		if (rc == -1 && errno != EEXIST) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Can't create directory %s: %s\n",
+				relname, strerror(errno));
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
 
 	tmpname = SMB_STRDUP(name);