diff --git a/cmake/modules/dts.cmake b/cmake/modules/dts.cmake
index fd41904e160..24ec436d41c 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/dts.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/dts.cmake
@@ -39,14 +39,6 @@ find_package(Dtc 1.4.6)
 # run the dtc tool if it is found, in order to catch any additional
 # warnings or errors it generates.
 
-# We will place some generated include files in here.
-set(BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE           ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include)
-set(BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE_GENERATED ${BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE}/generated)
-# Unconditionally create it, even if we don't have DTS support. This
-# is a historical artifact, and users expect this directory to exist
-# to put their own generated content inside.
-file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE_GENERATED})
-
 # The directory containing devicetree related scripts.
 set(DT_SCRIPTS                  ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/scripts/dts)
 
diff --git a/cmake/modules/generated_file_directories.cmake b/cmake/modules/generated_file_directories.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..aac3b39a6f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/modules/generated_file_directories.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+include_guard(GLOBAL)
+
+# This file creates locations in the build directory
+# for placing generated files.
+#
+# Outcome:
+# - BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE is set to ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include
+# - BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE_GENERATED is set to ${BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE}/generated
+# - BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE_GENERATED is a directory
+#
+# Required variables:
+# None
+#
+# Optional variables:
+# None
+#
+# Optional environment variables:
+# None
+
+set(BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include/generated)
+set(BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE_GENERATED ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include/generated)
+file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${BINARY_DIR_INCLUDE_GENERATED})
diff --git a/cmake/modules/zephyr_default.cmake b/cmake/modules/zephyr_default.cmake
index 0e41a253dd1..8d651e0b8fe 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/zephyr_default.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/zephyr_default.cmake
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ list(APPEND zephyr_cmake_modules shields)
 list(APPEND zephyr_cmake_modules snippets)
 list(APPEND zephyr_cmake_modules arch)
 list(APPEND zephyr_cmake_modules configuration_files)
+list(APPEND zephyr_cmake_modules generated_file_directories)
 
 # Include board specific device-tree flags before parsing.
 set(pre_dt_board "\${BOARD_DIR}/pre_dt_board.cmake" OPTIONAL)