diff --git a/gitlab/functions.sh b/gitlab/functions.sh
index c907e01ecd0ee498edf86974f6dd06e6359a1799..157c373092c26aee5ab7c9d40fad2c9963c88694 100644
--- a/gitlab/functions.sh
+++ b/gitlab/functions.sh
@@ -248,14 +248,9 @@ dav_recursive_mkdir() {
     log_info "mkdir $DOCSERVER/$current_subpath"
 
     # make sure the current subpath folder is created
-    local response
     # a 405 exit code is returned when the folder already exists
-    response=$(dav_mkdir "$DOCSERVER/$current_subpath" 405)
-    if [[ "${response}" == "405" ]]; then
-      log_info "Directory ${current_subpath} already exists."
-    else
-      log_info "Directory ${current_subpath} did not exist and was created."
-    fi
+    dav_mkdir "$DOCSERVER/$current_subpath" 405
+    log_info "Directory ${current_subpath} (now) exists."
   done
 }