diff --git a/src/ts/server/settings.ts b/src/ts/server/settings.ts
index e234561..507403a 100644
--- a/src/ts/server/settings.ts
+++ b/src/ts/server/settings.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { readFileAsync, writeFileAsync } from 'fs';
+import { readFileAsync, writeFileAsync, mkdirAsync } from 'fs';
 import { Settings } from '../common/adminInterfaces';
 import { cloneDeep } from '../common/utils';
 import * as paths from './paths';
@@ -18,13 +18,17 @@ export async function loadSettings() {
 		const json = await readFileAsync(settingsPath, 'utf8');
 		return JSON.parse(json) as Settings;
 	} catch (e) {
-		if (e === 'ENOENT') {
-			writeFileAsync(settingsPath, '{}', 'utf8');
-			return {} as Settings;
+		if (e.code === 'ENOENT') {
+			try {
+				await mkdirAsync(paths.pathTo('settings'));
+			} catch (e2) {
+				if (e2.code !== 'EEXIST') console.error('Failed to create settings directory: ' + e2);
+			}
 		} else {
-			console.log("Error reading settings file: " + e);
-			return {} as Settings;
+			console.error('Error reading settings file: ' + e);
 		}
+
+		return cloneDeep(defaultSettings);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ts/server/stats.ts b/src/ts/server/stats.ts
index 9a93a95..0b282e6 100644
--- a/src/ts/server/stats.ts
+++ b/src/ts/server/stats.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import * as fs from 'fs';
+import * as path from 'path';
 import * as moment from 'moment';
 import { compact } from 'lodash';
 import { Request } from 'express';
@@ -188,6 +189,11 @@ export class StatsTracker {
 	}
 	startStatTracking() {
 		if (!fs.existsSync(this.statsPath)) {
+			try {
+				fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(this.statsPath), { recursive: true });
+			} catch (e) {
+				if (e.code !== 'EEXIST') console.error('Failed to create stats directory: ' + e);
+			}
 			fs.writeFileSync(this.statsPath, encodeCSV(statsHeaders), { encoding: 'utf8' });
 		}