diff --git a/Annex/Content/Direct.hs b/Annex/Content/Direct.hs
index e061f8e57e..6da7fab52c 100644
--- a/Annex/Content/Direct.hs
+++ b/Annex/Content/Direct.hs
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ readInodeSentinalFile = do
 writeInodeSentinalFile :: Annex ()
 writeInodeSentinalFile = do
 	sentinalfile <- fromRepo gitAnnexInodeSentinal
+	createAnnexDirectory (parentDir sentinalfile)
 	sentinalcachefile <- fromRepo gitAnnexInodeSentinalCache
 	liftIO $ writeFile sentinalfile ""
 	liftIO $ maybe noop (writeFile sentinalcachefile . showInodeCache)