diff --git a/database/database.go b/database/database.go
index d658d0b..7bae41d 100644
--- a/database/database.go
+++ b/database/database.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package database
 
 import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
 	"github.com/gotify/server/auth/password"
 	"github.com/gotify/server/model"
 	"github.com/jinzhu/gorm"
@@ -11,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 
 // New creates a new wrapper for the gorm database framework.
 func New(dialect, connection, defaultUser, defaultPass string, strength int, createDefaultUser bool) (*GormDatabase, error) {
+	createDirectoryIfSqlite(dialect, connection)
+
 	db, err := gorm.Open(dialect, connection)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -39,6 +44,16 @@ func New(dialect, connection, defaultUser, defaultPass string, strength int, cre
 	return &GormDatabase{DB: db}, nil
 }
 
+func createDirectoryIfSqlite(dialect string, connection string) {
+	if dialect == "sqlite3" {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Dir(connection)); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(connection), 0777); err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // GormDatabase is a wrapper for the gorm framework.
 type GormDatabase struct {
 	DB *gorm.DB
diff --git a/database/database_test.go b/database/database_test.go
index 562b212..4b37491 100644
--- a/database/database_test.go
+++ b/database/database_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 
+	"errors"
+
+	"github.com/bouk/monkey"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
 )
@@ -32,3 +35,39 @@ func TestInvalidDialect(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := New("asdf", "testdb.db", "defaultUser", "defaultPass", 5, true)
 	assert.NotNil(t, err)
 }
+
+func TestCreateSqliteFolder(t *testing.T) {
+	// ensure path not exists
+	os.RemoveAll("somepath")
+
+	db, err := New("sqlite3", "somepath/testdb.db", "defaultUser", "defaultPass", 5, true)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.DirExists(t, "somepath")
+	db.Close()
+
+	assert.Nil(t, os.RemoveAll("somepath"))
+}
+
+func TestWithAlreadyExistingSqliteFolder(t *testing.T) {
+	// ensure path not exists
+	os.RemoveAll("somepath")
+	os.MkdirAll("somepath", 0777)
+
+	db, err := New("sqlite3", "somepath/testdb.db", "defaultUser", "defaultPass", 5, true)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.DirExists(t, "somepath")
+	db.Close()
+
+	assert.Nil(t, os.RemoveAll("somepath"))
+}
+
+func TestPanicsOnMkdirError(t *testing.T) {
+	patch := monkey.Patch(os.MkdirAll, func(string, os.FileMode) error { return errors.New("whoops") })
+	defer patch.Unpatch()
+	// ensure path not exists
+	os.RemoveAll("somepath")
+
+	assert.Panics(t, func() {
+		New("sqlite3", "somepath/testdb.db", "defaultUser", "defaultPass", 5, true)
+	})
+}