diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java b/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java
index 1b3ac8d89..052ed55d6 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/jme/JmeApp.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 package com.threerings.jme;
 
 import java.io.File;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
 
 import com.samskivert.util.Queue;
 import com.samskivert.util.RunQueue;
@@ -195,6 +194,11 @@ public abstract class JmeApp extends AbstractGame
         if (!StringUtil.blank(home)) {
             cfgdir = home + File.separator + cfgdir;
         }
+        // create the configuration directory if it does not already exist
+        File dir = new File(cfgdir);
+        if (!dir.exists()) {
+            dir.mkdir();
+        }
         return cfgdir + File.separator + file;
     }