diff --git a/playlist.c b/playlist.c
index 9e3a4cc3a515..65000a6959d5 100644
--- a/playlist.c
+++ b/playlist.c
@@ -1676,6 +1676,7 @@ void playlist_write_file(playlist_t *playlist)
    size_t i, len;
    intfstream_t *file = NULL;
    bool compressed    = false;
+   char dir_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
 
    /* Playlist will be written if any of the
     * following are true:
@@ -1692,6 +1693,11 @@ void playlist_write_file(playlist_t *playlist)
         (playlist->old_format != playlist->config.old_format)))
       return;
 
+   fill_pathname_basedir(dir_path, playlist->config.path, sizeof(dir_path));
+   if (!path_is_directory(dir_path))
+      if (!path_mkdir(dir_path))
+         return;
+
 #if defined(HAVE_ZLIB)
    if (playlist->config.compress)
       file = intfstream_open_rzip_file(playlist->config.path,