diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cd6ba204a239..2db357b090b1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -65,10 +65,9 @@ pull_plugin_translations:  ## Pull translations from Transifex for edx_django_ut
 pull_xblock_translations:  ## pull xblock translations via atlas
 	rm -rf conf/plugins-locale/xblock.v1  # Clean up existing atlas translations
 	rm -rf lms/static/i18n/xblock.v1 cms/static/i18n/xblock.v1  # Clean up existing xblock compiled translations
-	mkdir -p conf/plugins-locale/xblock.v1/ lms/static/js/xblock.v1-i18n cms/static/js
 	python manage.py lms pull_xblock_translations --verbose $(ATLAS_OPTIONS)
 	python manage.py lms compile_xblock_translations
-	cp -r lms/static/js/xblock.v1-i18n cms/static/js
+	python manage.py cms compile_xblock_translations
 
 pull_translations: ## pull translations from Transifex
 	git clean -fdX conf/locale
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/plugins/i18n_api.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/plugins/i18n_api.py
index 06bb715b22a5..ae8bb5628628 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/plugins/i18n_api.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/plugins/i18n_api.py
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ def ensure_empty_directory(self, directory):
         Ensure the pull directory is empty before running atlas pull.
         """
         plugin_translations_root = directory
+        os.makedirs(plugin_translations_root, exist_ok=True)
         if os.listdir(plugin_translations_root):
             raise CommandError(f'"{plugin_translations_root}" should be empty before running atlas pull.')