diff --git a/docker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-ms-config/run b/docker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-ms-config/run
index 521bc927..cad8bfe8 100755
--- a/docker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-ms-config/run
+++ b/docker/root/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-ms-config/run
@@ -1,33 +1,19 @@
 #!/usr/bin/with-contenv bash
 
-# used https://github.com/linuxserver/docker-plex as a template
-
-POPULATE_EXAMPLES=false
-
 echo "-------------------------------------"
-echo -e "Setting up multi-scrobbler config directory based on CONFIG_DIR env: ${CONFIG_DIR}\n"
+echo -e "Verifying multi-scrobbler directory permissions based on CONFIG_DIR env: ${CONFIG_DIR} and DATA_DIR env: ${DATA_DIR}\n"
 
-# make config folder if it does not exist
-if [ ! -d "${CONFIG_DIR}" ]; then
-  echo "Directory does not exist! Creating..."
-  POPULATE_EXAMPLES=true
-  mkdir -p "${CONFIG_DIR}"
-else
-  if [ "$(ls -A ${CONFIG_DIR})" ]; then
-       echo "Directory is not empty, not creating examples."
-    else
-      POPULATE_EXAMPLES=true
-    fi
+if [ -d "${CONFIG_DIR}" ]; then
+  echo "chown'ing config directory to ensure correct permissions."
+  chown -R abc:abc "${CONFIG_DIR}"
+  echo "Done!"
 fi
 
-# add example configs
-if [ "$POPULATE_EXAMPLES" = true ]; then
-  echo "Directory is empty, adding examples..."
-  cp -r /app/config/. "${CONFIG_DIR}"/
+if [ -d "${DATA_DIR}" ]; then
+  echo "chown'ing data directory to ensure correct permissions."
+  chown -R abc:abc "${DATA_DIR}"
+  echo "Done!"
 fi
 
-# permissions
-echo "chown'ing directory to ensure correct permissions."
-chown -R abc:abc "${CONFIG_DIR}"
 echo "Done!"
 echo -e "-------------------------------------\n"
diff --git a/src/backend/index.ts b/src/backend/index.ts
index dfe66839..2ce4c471 100644
--- a/src/backend/index.ts
+++ b/src/backend/index.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { getDbPath } from './common/database/Database.ts';
 import { createRetentionCleanupTask } from './tasks/retentionCleanup.ts';
 import { parseUserConfig } from './common/Cache.ts';
 import { nonEmptyStringOrDefault } from '../core/StringUtils.ts';
+import { createDir, fileExists } from './utils/FSUtils.ts';
 
 dayjs.extend(utc)
 dayjs.extend(isBetween);
@@ -86,16 +87,38 @@ process.on('SIGINT', async () => {
 })
 
 
-const configDir = getConfigDir()
+const configDir = getConfigDir();
+const dataDir = getDataDir();
 
     try {
-        initLogger.verbose(`Config Dir ENV : ${process.env.CONFIG_DIR} -> Resolved: ${configDir}`);
-        initLogger.verbose(`Data Dir ENV   : ${process.env.DATA_DIR} -> Resolved: ${getDataDir()}`);
+        initLogger.info(`Config Dir ENV : ${process.env.CONFIG_DIR} -> Resolved: ${configDir}`);
+        try {
+            const exists = fileExists(configDir);
+            if(!exists) {
+                initLogger.verbose(`Config Dir does not exist, creating now...`);
+                await createDir(configDir);
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            initLogger.warn(new Error('Could not access config dir. It is likely your config files will not be able to be read.', {cause: e}));
+        }
+        initLogger.info(`Data Dir ENV   : ${process.env.DATA_DIR} -> Resolved: ${getDataDir()}`);
+        try {
+            const exists = fileExists(dataDir);
+            if(!exists) {
+                initLogger.verbose(`Data Dir does not exist, creating now...`);
+                await createDir(dataDir);
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            initLogger.warn(new Error('Could not access data dir. It is likely your data files will not be able to be read.', {cause: e}));
+        }
         // try to read a configuration file
         let appConfigFail: Error | undefined = undefined;
         let config = {};
         try {
             config = await readJson(`${configDir}/config.json`, {throwOnNotFound: false, logger: childLogger(initLogger, 'Secrets')});
+            if(config === undefined) {
+                initLogger.verbose(`No AIO config found at ${configDir}/config.json`);
+            }
         } catch (e) {
             appConfigFail = e;
         }
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/FSUtils.ts b/src/backend/utils/FSUtils.ts
index d134a54a..59f861c5 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/FSUtils.ts
+++ b/src/backend/utils/FSUtils.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ export async function readText(path: any) {
     // });
 }
 
+export const createDir = (location: string) => promises.mkdir(location, {recursive: true});
+
 export const fileOrDirectoryIsWriteable = (location: string) => {
     const pathInfo = pathUtil.parse(location);
     const isDir = pathInfo.ext === '';