diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 3049ead34..5d2a63b10 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"strconv"
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
@@ -94,11 +97,11 @@ func checkConfig(config Config) {
 	}
 
 	if !fileExists(config.PrivateHLSPath) {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("%s does not exist.", config.PrivateHLSPath))
+		os.MkdirAll(path.Join(config.PrivateHLSPath, strconv.Itoa(0)), 0777)
 	}
 
 	if !fileExists(config.PublicHLSPath) {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("%s does not exist.", config.PublicHLSPath))
+		os.MkdirAll(path.Join(config.PublicHLSPath, strconv.Itoa(0)), 0777)
 	}
 
 	if !fileExists(config.FFMpegPath) {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index f63c3c555..e485c6353 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ func main() {
 	log.StandardLogger().Printf("Owncast v%s/%s (%s)", BuildVersion, BuildType, GitCommit)
 
 	checkConfig(configuration)
+
 	stats = getSavedStats()
 	stats.Setup()
 
@@ -38,7 +39,6 @@ func main() {
 
 	if usingExternalStorage {
 		storage.Setup(configuration)
-		// hlsDirectoryPath = configuration.PrivateHLSPath
 		go monitorVideoContent(configuration.PrivateHLSPath, configuration, storage)
 	}
 
diff --git a/utils.go b/utils.go
index b908a8cbd..5b484281e 100644
--- a/utils.go
+++ b/utils.go
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ func copy(src, dst string) {
 }
 
 func resetDirectories(configuration Config) {
+	log.Println("Resetting file directories to a clean slate.")
+
 	// Wipe the public, web-accessible hls data directory
 	os.RemoveAll(configuration.PublicHLSPath)
 	os.RemoveAll(configuration.PrivateHLSPath)