diff --git a/src/tests/run_recover_stress_test.sh b/src/tests/run_recover_stress_test.sh
index d4c262b5680..10b0df9ac58 100755
--- a/src/tests/run_recover_stress_test.sh
+++ b/src/tests/run_recover_stress_test.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ size=$1; shift
 runs=$1; shift
 abortcode=$1; shift
 
+mkdir -p dir.recover_stress.c.tdb
 $bin -C -n $size -l
 $bin -C -i 0 -n $size -l
 for (( i = 1; i < $runs; i++ ))