diff --git a/libimagrt/src/error.rs b/libimagrt/src/error.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d72cbe0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libimagrt/src/error.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+use std::error::Error;
+use std::fmt::Display;
+use std::fmt::Formatter;
+use std::fmt::Error as FmtError;
+use std::clone::Clone;
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Clone, Copy)]
+pub enum RuntimeErrorKind {
+    Instantiate,
+
+    // more?
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct RuntimeError {
+    kind: RuntimeErrorKind,
+    cause: Option<Box<Error>>,
+}
+
+impl RuntimeError {
+
+    pub fn new(kind: RuntimeErrorKind, cause: Option<Box<Error>>) -> RuntimeError {
+        RuntimeError {
+            kind: kind,
+            cause: cause,
+        }
+    }
+
+}
+
+fn runtime_error_kind_as_str(e: &RuntimeErrorKind) -> &'static str {
+    match e {
+        &RuntimeErrorKind::Instantiate => "Could not instantiate",
+    }
+}
+
+impl Display for RuntimeError {
+
+    fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut Formatter) -> Result<(), FmtError> {
+        try!(write!(fmt, "{}", runtime_error_kind_as_str(&self.kind)));
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+}
+
+impl Error for RuntimeError {
+
+    fn description(&self) -> &str {
+        runtime_error_kind_as_str(&self.kind)
+    }
+
+    fn cause(&self) -> Option<&Error> {
+        self.cause.as_ref().map(|e| &**e)
+    }
+
+}
+
diff --git a/libimagrt/src/lib.rs b/libimagrt/src/lib.rs
index 58b49dc9..9e81f088 100644
--- a/libimagrt/src/lib.rs
+++ b/libimagrt/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ extern crate libimagstore;
 extern crate libimagutil;
 
 mod configuration;
+mod error;
 mod logger;
 
 pub mod runtime;
diff --git a/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs b/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
index e5a81a57..fe6e87d2 100644
--- a/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
+++ b/libimagrt/src/runtime.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::result::Result as RResult;
 
 pub use clap::App;
 
@@ -7,6 +8,8 @@ use log;
 use log::LogLevelFilter;
 
 use configuration::Configuration;
+use error::RuntimeError;
+use error::RuntimeErrorKind;
 use logger::ImagLogger;
 
 use libimagstore::store::Store;
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ impl<'a> Runtime<'a> {
      * The cli_spec object should be initially build with the ::get_default_cli_builder() function.
      *
      */
-    pub fn new(cli_spec: App<'a, 'a, 'a, 'a, 'a, 'a>) -> Runtime<'a> {
+    pub fn new(cli_spec: App<'a, 'a, 'a, 'a, 'a, 'a>) -> Result<Runtime<'a>, RuntimeError> {
         let matches = cli_spec.get_matches();
         let rtp : PathBuf = matches.value_of("runtimepath").unwrap_or("~/.imag/").into();
         let storepath = matches.value_of("storepath")
@@ -38,12 +41,17 @@ impl<'a> Runtime<'a> {
                                     spath.push("/store");
                                     spath
                                 });
-        Runtime {
-            cli_matches: matches,
-            configuration: Configuration::new(&rtp).unwrap_or(Configuration::default()),
-            rtp: rtp,
-            store: Store::new(storepath),
-        }
+        Store::new(storepath).map(|store| {
+            Runtime {
+                cli_matches: matches,
+                configuration: Configuration::new(&rtp).unwrap_or(Configuration::default()),
+                rtp: rtp,
+                store: store,
+            }
+        })
+        .map_err(|e| {
+            RuntimeError::new(RuntimeErrorKind::Instantiate, Some(Box::new(e)))
+        })
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/libimagstore/src/error.rs b/libimagstore/src/error.rs
index e05fcdb6..9dc48bb5 100644
--- a/libimagstore/src/error.rs
+++ b/libimagstore/src/error.rs
@@ -15,17 +15,21 @@ pub enum StoreErrorKind {
     OutOfMemory,
     FileNotFound,
     FileNotCreated,
+    StorePathExists,
+    StorePathCreate,
     // maybe more
 }
 
 fn store_error_type_as_str(e: &StoreErrorKind) -> &'static str {
     match e {
-        &StoreErrorKind::FileError   => "File Error",
-        &StoreErrorKind::IdLocked    => "ID locked",
-        &StoreErrorKind::IdNotFound  => "ID not found",
-        &StoreErrorKind::OutOfMemory => "Out of Memory",
-        &StoreErrorKind::FileNotFound => "File corresponding to ID not found",
-        &StoreErrorKind::FileNotCreated => "File corresponding to ID could not be created",
+        &StoreErrorKind::FileError       => "File Error",
+        &StoreErrorKind::IdLocked        => "ID locked",
+        &StoreErrorKind::IdNotFound      => "ID not found",
+        &StoreErrorKind::OutOfMemory     => "Out of Memory",
+        &StoreErrorKind::FileNotFound    => "File corresponding to ID not found",
+        &StoreErrorKind::FileNotCreated  => "File corresponding to ID could not be created",
+        &StoreErrorKind::StorePathExists => "Store path exists",
+        &StoreErrorKind::StorePathCreate => "Store path create",
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libimagstore/src/store.rs b/libimagstore/src/store.rs
index 89e8ea89..74ffcc58 100644
--- a/libimagstore/src/store.rs
+++ b/libimagstore/src/store.rs
@@ -54,11 +54,25 @@ pub struct Store {
 impl Store {
 
     /// Create a new Store object
-    pub fn new(location: PathBuf) -> Store {
-        Store {
+    pub fn new(location: PathBuf) -> Result<Store> {
+        use std::fs::create_dir_all;
+
+        if !location.exists() {
+            let c = create_dir_all(location.clone());
+            if c.is_err() {
+                return Err(StoreError::new(StoreErrorKind::StorePathCreate,
+                                           Some(Box::new(c.err().unwrap()))));
+            }
+        } else {
+            if location.is_file() {
+                return Err(StoreError::new(StoreErrorKind::StorePathExists, None));
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(Store {
             location: location,
             entries: Arc::new(RwLock::new(HashMap::new())),
-        }
+        })
     }
 
     /// Creates the Entry at the given location (inside the entry)