diff --git a/webapp/backend/pkg/web/server.go b/webapp/backend/pkg/web/server.go
index 3339a25..af993e3 100644
--- a/webapp/backend/pkg/web/server.go
+++ b/webapp/backend/pkg/web/server.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package web
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"github.com/analogj/go-util/utils"
 	"github.com/analogj/scrutiny/webapp/backend/pkg/config"
+	"github.com/analogj/scrutiny/webapp/backend/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/analogj/scrutiny/webapp/backend/pkg/web/handler"
 	"github.com/analogj/scrutiny/webapp/backend/pkg/web/middleware"
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
@@ -10,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 )
 
 type AppEngine struct {
@@ -77,6 +80,13 @@ func (ae *AppEngine) Start() error {
 		logger.SetOutput(io.MultiWriter(os.Stderr, logFile))
 	}
 
+	//check if the database parent directory exists, fail here rather than in a handler.
+	if !utils.FileExists(filepath.Dir(ae.Config.GetString("web.database.location"))) {
+		return errors.ConfigValidationError(fmt.Sprintf(
+			"Database parent directory does not exist. Please check path (%s)",
+			filepath.Dir(ae.Config.GetString("web.database.location"))))
+	}
+
 	r := ae.Setup(logger)
 
 	return r.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", ae.Config.GetString("web.listen.host"), ae.Config.GetString("web.listen.port")))