diff --git a/lib/blockstore/abstract.js b/lib/blockstore/abstract.js
index 69113e73..e12d0488 100644
--- a/lib/blockstore/abstract.js
+++ b/lib/blockstore/abstract.js
@@ -30,6 +30,16 @@ class AbstractBlockStore {
       this.logger = Logger.global.context('blockstore');
   }
 
+  /**
+   * This method ensures that resources are available
+   * before opening.
+   * @returns {Promise}
+   */
+
+  async ensure() {
+    throw new Error('Abstract method.');
+  }
+
   /**
    * This method opens any necessary resources and
    * initializes the store to be ready to be queried.
diff --git a/lib/blockstore/file.js b/lib/blockstore/file.js
index 9b176575..132a388f 100644
--- a/lib/blockstore/file.js
+++ b/lib/blockstore/file.js
@@ -129,6 +129,17 @@ class FileBlockStore extends AbstractBlockStore {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * This method ensures that both the block storage directory
+   * and index directory exist.
+   * before opening.
+   * @returns {Promise}
+   */
+
+  async ensure() {
+    return fs.mkdirp(this.indexLocation);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Opens the file block store. It will regenerate necessary block
    * indexing if the index is missing or inconsistent.
diff --git a/lib/blockstore/level.js b/lib/blockstore/level.js
index 83b9db7d..f745e370 100644
--- a/lib/blockstore/level.js
+++ b/lib/blockstore/level.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const bdb = require('bdb');
+const fs = require('bfile');
 const AbstractBlockStore = require('./abstract');
 const layout = require('./layout');
 const {types} = require('./common');
@@ -37,6 +38,16 @@ class LevelBlockStore extends AbstractBlockStore {
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * This method ensures that the storage directory exists
+   * before opening.
+   * @returns {Promise}
+   */
+
+  async ensure() {
+    return fs.mkdirp(this.location);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Opens the block storage.
    * @returns {Promise}
diff --git a/lib/node/node.js b/lib/node/node.js
index 099f4985..b407020e 100644
--- a/lib/node/node.js
+++ b/lib/node/node.js
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class Node extends EventEmitter {
     this.workers = null;
 
     this.spv = false;
+    this.blocks = null;
     this.chain = null;
     this.fees = null;
     this.mempool = null;
@@ -135,6 +136,9 @@ class Node extends EventEmitter {
     if (this.memory)
       return undefined;
 
+    if (this.blocks)
+      await this.blocks.ensure();
+
     return fs.mkdirp(this.config.prefix);
   }
 
diff --git a/test/blockstore-test.js b/test/blockstore-test.js
index 62ef22e1..fc69db65 100644
--- a/test/blockstore-test.js
+++ b/test/blockstore-test.js
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ const common = require('./util/common');
 const {resolve} = require('path');
 const fs = require('bfile');
 const {rimraf} = require('./util/common');
-const {mkdirp} = require('bfile');
 const random = require('bcrypto/lib/random');
 
 const vectors = [
@@ -347,13 +346,13 @@ describe('BlockStore', function() {
 
     beforeEach(async () => {
       await rimraf(location);
-      await mkdirp(location);
 
       store = new FileBlockStore({
         location: location,
         maxFileLength: 1024
       });
 
+      await store.ensure();
       await store.open();
     });
 
@@ -657,13 +656,13 @@ describe('BlockStore', function() {
 
     beforeEach(async () => {
       await rimraf(location);
-      await mkdirp(location);
 
       store = new FileBlockStore({
         location: location,
         maxFileLength: 1024 * 1024
       });
 
+      await store.ensure();
       await store.open();
     });
 
@@ -709,12 +708,12 @@ describe('BlockStore', function() {
 
     beforeEach(async () => {
       await rimraf(location);
-      await mkdirp(location);
 
       store = new LevelBlockStore({
         location: location
       });
 
+      await store.ensure();
       await store.open();
     });