diff --git a/docker.go b/docker.go
index 2b334976d7..abe2d3777d 100644
--- a/docker.go
+++ b/docker.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func NewFromDirectory(root string) (*Docker, error) {
 		containers: list.New(),
 	}
 
-	if err := os.Mkdir(docker.repository, 0700); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(docker.repository, 0700); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/image/image.go b/image/image.go
index 7f635d1338..82c88b2a05 100644
--- a/image/image.go
+++ b/image/image.go
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ func New(root string) (*Store, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(abspath, 0700); err != nil && !os.IsExist(err) {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	layers, err := NewLayerStore(path.Join(root, "layers"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err