diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 68c73746e07..6a402cb68ff 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ vendor-php
 # drone CI is in .drone.star, do not let someone accidentally commit a local .drone.yml
 .drone.yml
 
-**/l10n/locale
 **/l10n/template.pot
 
 # protogen autogenerated
diff --git a/services/userlog/Makefile b/services/userlog/Makefile
index ee92367c812..22c177948f9 100644
--- a/services/userlog/Makefile
+++ b/services/userlog/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 SHELL := bash
 NAME := userlog
 
+# Where to write the files generated by this makefile.
+OUTPUT_DIR = ./pkg/service/l10n
+
 include ../../.make/recursion.mk
 
 ############ tooling ############