diff --git a/src/genjava/gradle_project.py b/src/genjava/gradle_project.py
index cee85d30f2ebf84249591886a530e8e67ae788e5..6bf5a57f84bff03f60f36a03a9639b369064e443 100644
--- a/src/genjava/gradle_project.py
+++ b/src/genjava/gradle_project.py
@@ -140,9 +140,9 @@ def create(msg_pkg_name, output_dir):
     :param dict msg_package_index:  { name : catkin_pkg.Package }
     :param str output_dir:
     '''
-    if os.path.exists(output_dir):
-        shutil.rmtree(output_dir)
     genjava_gradle_dir = os.path.join(output_dir, msg_pkg_name)
+    if os.path.exists(genjava_gradle_dir):
+        shutil.rmtree(genjava_gradle_dir)
     os.makedirs(genjava_gradle_dir)
     msg_package_index = create_msg_package_index()
     if msg_pkg_name not in msg_package_index.keys():