diff --git a/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix b/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
index 968938c..cd757ca 100644
--- a/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
+++ b/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ with pkgs . kernelmaft ;
 
 					# 'initdb' fails harmlessly if it has been run on the database before
 					ExecStartPre=${coreutils-full}/bin/ln -sf ${bookwyrm}/var/lib/bookwyrm/VERSION /var/lib/bookwyrm/
+					ExecStartPre=mkdir -p /var/lib/bookwyrm/images
 					ExecStartPre=${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${python311}/bin/python ${bookwyrm}/lib/python3.11/manage.py migrate
 					ExecStartPre=-${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${python311}/bin/python ${bookwyrm}/lib/python3.11/manage.py initdb
 					ExecStart=${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm