diff --git a/server/src/persistence/mod.rs b/server/src/persistence/mod.rs
index e1addc9c4c..d33803db66 100644
--- a/server/src/persistence/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/persistence/mod.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use common::comp;
 use refinery::Report;
 use rusqlite::{Connection, OpenFlags};
 use std::{
+    fs,
     path::PathBuf,
     sync::{Arc, RwLock},
     time::Duration,
@@ -130,6 +131,10 @@ fn rusqlite_profile_callback(log_message: &str, dur: Duration) {
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn establish_connection(settings: &DatabaseSettings) -> VelorenConnection {
+    fs::create_dir_all(&settings.db_dir).expect(&*format!(
+        "Failed to create saves directory: {:?}",
+        &settings.db_dir
+    ));
     let connection = Connection::open_with_flags(
         &settings.db_dir.join("db.sqlite"),
         OpenFlags::SQLITE_OPEN_PRIVATE_CACHE | OpenFlags::default(),
diff --git a/voxygen/src/singleplayer.rs b/voxygen/src/singleplayer.rs
index c6c5e026c8..8cd06499e0 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/singleplayer.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/singleplayer.rs
@@ -62,8 +62,9 @@ impl Singleplayer {
             };
 
             info!(
-                "Saves folder doesn't exist, but there is one in the old saves location, copying \
-                 it to the new location"
+                "Saves folder doesn't exist, but there is one in the old saves location ({}), \
+                 copying it to the new location",
+                old_path.display()
             );
             if let Some(parent) = new_path.parent() {
                 if let Err(e) = std::fs::create_dir_all(parent) {