diff --git a/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md b/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md
index f12f69540..46ea1c005 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md
@@ -1143,6 +1143,10 @@ Installs the entire given subdirectory and its contents from the
 source tree to the location specified by the keyword argument
 `install_dir`.
 
+If the subdirectory does not exist in the source tree, an empty directory is
+created in the specified location. *(since 0.45.0)* A newly created
+subdirectory may only be created in the keyword argument `install_dir`.
+
 The following keyword arguments are supported:
 
 - `exclude_files`: a list of file names that should not be installed.
@@ -1192,6 +1196,12 @@ share/
   file1
 ```
 
+`install_subdir('new_directory', install_dir : 'share')` creates
+```text
+share/
+  new_directory/
+```
+
 ### is_disabler()
 
 ``` meson
diff --git a/run_unittests.py b/run_unittests.py
index 2e7fe916a..3f97c0c59 100755
--- a/run_unittests.py
+++ b/run_unittests.py
@@ -2414,6 +2414,7 @@ class AllPlatformTests(BasePlatformTests):
             'sub/sub1': 'share/sub1',
             'sub_elided': 'share',
             'nested_elided/sub': 'share',
+            'new_directory': 'share/new_directory',
         }
 
         self.assertEqual(len(intro), len(expected))
diff --git a/test cases/common/60 install subdir/meson.build b/test cases/common/60 install subdir/meson.build
index 6f92efdb8..59f3b4dc5 100644
--- a/test cases/common/60 install subdir/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/common/60 install subdir/meson.build	
@@ -16,3 +16,6 @@ install_subdir('sub/sub1', install_dir : 'share')
 # strip_directory
 install_subdir('sub_elided', install_dir : 'share', strip_directory : true)
 install_subdir('nested_elided/sub', install_dir : 'share', strip_directory : true)
+
+# Create new empty directory that doesn't exist in the source tree
+install_subdir('new_directory', install_dir : 'share')
diff --git a/test cases/common/60 install subdir/test.json b/test cases/common/60 install subdir/test.json
index 88c6f4bda..0dd885cb5 100644
--- a/test cases/common/60 install subdir/test.json	
+++ b/test cases/common/60 install subdir/test.json	
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     {"type": "file", "file": "usr/share/sub1/third.dat"},
     {"type": "file", "file": "usr/share/sub1/sub2/data2.dat"},
     {"type": "file", "file": "usr/share/sub2/one.dat"},
-    {"type": "file", "file": "usr/share/sub2/dircheck/excluded-three.dat"}
+    {"type": "file", "file": "usr/share/sub2/dircheck/excluded-three.dat"},
+    {"type": "dir", "file": "usr/share/new_directory"}
   ]
 }