diff --git a/storage/pkg/command/authbasic.go b/storage/pkg/command/authbasic.go
index 2772c35975..bcd05f5d45 100644
--- a/storage/pkg/command/authbasic.go
+++ b/storage/pkg/command/authbasic.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/cmd/revad/runtime"
@@ -67,6 +68,13 @@ func AuthBasic(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 
 			defer cancel()
 
+			// precreate folders
+			if cfg.Reva.AuthProvider.Driver == "json" && cfg.Reva.AuthProvider.JSON != "" {
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(cfg.Reva.AuthProvider.JSON), os.ModeExclusive); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
 			{
 
 				uuid := uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4())
diff --git a/storage/pkg/command/groups.go b/storage/pkg/command/groups.go
index 4cda6fc335..283634e2bf 100644
--- a/storage/pkg/command/groups.go
+++ b/storage/pkg/command/groups.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/cmd/revad/runtime"
@@ -64,8 +65,16 @@ func Groups(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 				ctx, cancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 				//metrics     = metrics.New()
 			)
+
 			defer cancel()
 
+			// precreate folders
+			if cfg.Reva.Groups.Driver == "json" && cfg.Reva.Groups.JSON != "" {
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(cfg.Reva.Groups.JSON), os.ModeExclusive); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
 			{
 				uuid := uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4())
 				pidFile := path.Join(os.TempDir(), "revad-"+c.Command.Name+"-"+uuid.String()+".pid")
diff --git a/storage/pkg/command/sharing.go b/storage/pkg/command/sharing.go
index b0b6c8de69..6eb4becb08 100644
--- a/storage/pkg/command/sharing.go
+++ b/storage/pkg/command/sharing.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/cmd/revad/runtime"
@@ -67,6 +68,18 @@ func Sharing(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 
 			defer cancel()
 
+			// precreate folders
+			if cfg.Reva.Sharing.UserDriver == "json" && cfg.Reva.Sharing.UserJSONFile != "" {
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(cfg.Reva.Sharing.UserJSONFile), os.ModeExclusive); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+			if cfg.Reva.Sharing.PublicDriver == "json" && cfg.Reva.Sharing.PublicJSONFile != "" {
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(cfg.Reva.Sharing.PublicJSONFile), os.ModeExclusive); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
 			{
 
 				uuid := uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4())
diff --git a/storage/pkg/command/users.go b/storage/pkg/command/users.go
index 67004ac80a..801a9e1c6f 100644
--- a/storage/pkg/command/users.go
+++ b/storage/pkg/command/users.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/cmd/revad/runtime"
@@ -67,6 +68,13 @@ func Users(cfg *config.Config) *cli.Command {
 
 			defer cancel()
 
+			// precreate folders
+			if cfg.Reva.Users.Driver == "json" && cfg.Reva.Users.JSON != "" {
+				if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(cfg.Reva.Users.JSON), os.ModeExclusive); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+
 			{
 				uuid := uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4())
 				pidFile := path.Join(os.TempDir(), "revad-"+c.Command.Name+"-"+uuid.String()+".pid")