diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/maven-publish.yml
index 0dd07404bb5..6ea76fd783a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven-publish.yml
@@ -29,6 +29,30 @@ jobs:
         with:
           role-to-assume: ${{ secrets.PUBLISH_SNAPSHOTS_ROLE }}
           aws-region: us-east-1
+
+      # Create the initial direct-query directory structure
+      - name: Create direct-query directory structure in repository
+        run: |
+          # Get credentials for publishing
+          export SONATYPE_USERNAME=$(aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --secret-id maven-snapshots-username --query SecretString --output text)
+          export SONATYPE_PASSWORD=$(aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --secret-id maven-snapshots-password --query SecretString --output text)
+          echo "::add-mask::$SONATYPE_USERNAME"
+          echo "::add-mask::$SONATYPE_PASSWORD"
+          
+          # Create a placeholder file
+          TEMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+          echo "Directory placeholder - $(date)" > "${TEMP_DIR}/.placeholder"
+          
+          # Upload the placeholder file to create the directory structure
+          echo "Creating initial directory structure..."
+          curl -X PUT -u "${SONATYPE_USERNAME}:${SONATYPE_PASSWORD}" \
+            --upload-file "${TEMP_DIR}/.placeholder" \
+            "https://aws.oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots/org/opensearch/direct-query/.placeholder"
+          
+          # Clean up
+          rm -rf "${TEMP_DIR}"
+          echo "Directory structure created"
+
       - name: publish snapshots to maven
         run: |
           export SONATYPE_USERNAME=$(aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --secret-id maven-snapshots-username --query SecretString --output text)