diff --git a/Lib/os.py b/Lib/os.py
index 2d1b29b..7d44dc4 100644
--- a/Lib/os.py
+++ b/Lib/os.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 
 import sys
 
+from errno import ENOENT, ENOTDIR, EEXIST
+
 _names = sys.builtin_module_names
 
 # Note:  more names are added to __all__ later.
@@ -160,7 +162,12 @@
     if not tail:
         head, tail = path.split(head)
     if head and tail and not path.exists(head):
-        makedirs(head, mode)
+        try:
+            makedirs(head, mode)
+        except OSError, e:
+            # be happy if someone already created the path
+            if e.errno != EEXIST:
+                raise
         if tail == curdir:           # xxx/newdir/. exists if xxx/newdir exists
             return
     mkdir(name, mode)
@@ -359,8 +366,6 @@
 __all__.extend(["execl","execle","execlp","execlpe","execvp","execvpe"])
 
 def _execvpe(file, args, env=None):
-    from errno import ENOENT, ENOTDIR
-
     if env is not None:
         func = execve
         argrest = (args, env)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 648d09a..0e408b3 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Patch #1608267: fix a race condition in os.makedirs() is the directory
+  to be created is already there.
+
 - Patch #1610437: fix a tarfile bug with long filename headers.
 
 - Patch #1371075: Make ConfigParser accept optional dict type