diff --git a/src/patch_server/src/lib.rs b/src/patch_server/src/lib.rs
index ecf51f9..06f72e9 100644
--- a/src/patch_server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/patch_server/src/lib.rs
@@ -217,7 +217,13 @@ impl ServerState for PatchServerState {
 }
 
 fn load_patch_dir(basedir: &str, patchbase: &str, file_ids: &mut HashMap<u32, PatchFile>) -> PatchFileTree {
-    let paths = fs::read_dir(basedir).expect("could not read directory");
+    let paths = match fs::read_dir(basedir) {
+        Ok(d) => d,
+        Err(_) => {
+            fs::create_dir_all(basedir).expect(&format!("Patch directory \"{}\" is missing and could not be created.", basedir));
+            fs::read_dir(basedir).expect(&format!("Patch directory \"{}\" was created but could not be read!", basedir)) // how ??
+        },
+    };
 
     let mut files = Vec::new();
     let mut dirs = Vec::new();