diff --git a/doc/makepanda/makepanda.py b/doc/makepanda/makepanda.py
index e053e36dd6..f7812a3186 100755
--- a/doc/makepanda/makepanda.py
+++ b/doc/makepanda/makepanda.py
@@ -1023,6 +1023,24 @@ def CreatePandaVersionFiles():
 
 CreatePandaVersionFiles()
 
+##########################################################################################
+#
+# Generate direct/__init__.py
+#
+##########################################################################################
+
+DIRECTINIT="""
+import os,sys
+srcdir1 = os.path.join(__path__[0], 'src')
+srcdir2 = os.path.join(__path__[0], '..', '..', 'direct', 'src')
+if    (os.path.isdir(srcdir1)): __path__[0] = srcdir1
+elif  (os.path.isdir(srcdir2)): __path__[0] = srcdir2
+else: sys.exit("Cannot find the 'direct' tree")
+"""
+
+if (PkgSkip("PYTHON")==0):
+    ConditionalWriteFile('built/direct/__init__.py', DIRECTINIT)
+
 ##########################################################################################
 #
 # Generate the PRC files into the ETC directory.
diff --git a/doc/makepanda/makepandacore.py b/doc/makepanda/makepandacore.py
index 1946c14826..417584e262 100644
--- a/doc/makepanda/makepandacore.py
+++ b/doc/makepanda/makepandacore.py
@@ -562,6 +562,7 @@ def MakeBuildTree():
     MakeDirectory(OUTPUTDIR+"/models/maps")
     MakeDirectory(OUTPUTDIR+"/models/misc")
     MakeDirectory(OUTPUTDIR+"/models/gui")
+    MakeDirectory(OUTPUTDIR+"/direct")
     MakeDirectory(OUTPUTDIR+"/pandac")
     MakeDirectory(OUTPUTDIR+"/pandac/input")