diff --git a/AndroidManifest.xml b/AndroidManifest.xml
index edcd9dbd..e3b6ef5b 100644
--- a/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@
 	android:versionCode="1"
 	android:versionName="0.1"
     android:debuggable="true" >
+
 	<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" android:targetSdkVersion="19" />
+
+	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
+
 	<application android:label="@string/app_name" >
         	<activity
 				android:name="MainActivity" 
diff --git a/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/MainActivity.java b/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/MainActivity.java
index 4bec7048..0d11ed0c 100644
--- a/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/MainActivity.java
+++ b/src/com/nutomic/syncthingandroid/MainActivity.java
@@ -2,11 +2,25 @@ package com.nutomic.syncthingandroid;
 
 import android.app.Activity;
 import android.os.Bundle;
+import android.os.Environment;
+import android.util.Log;
+
+import java.io.File;
 
 public class MainActivity extends Activity {
 
+	private static final String TAG = "MainActivity";
+
+	private static final File SYNCTHING_FOLDER =
+			new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), "syncthing");
+
     @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
+        if (!SYNCTHING_FOLDER.isDirectory() && !SYNCTHING_FOLDER.mkdir()) {
+			Log.w(TAG, "Failed to create syncthing folder on sdcard, exiting");
+			finish();
+			return;
+        }
 		System.loadLibrary("syncthing");
 	}