diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index bd5dd974e..e9dd2f974 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -304,8 +304,15 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) SetPrivValidator(priv *types.PrivValidator) {
 func (cs *ConsensusState) OnStart() error {
 	cs.BaseService.OnStart()
 
-	err := cs.OpenWAL(cs.config.GetString("cs_wal_dir"))
+	walDir := cs.config.GetString("cs_wal_dir")
+	err := EnsureDir(walDir, 0700)
 	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("Error ensuring ConsensusState wal dir", "error", err.Error())
+		return err
+	}
+	err = cs.OpenWAL(walDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("Error loading ConsensusState wal", "error", err.Error())
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/mempool/mempool.go b/mempool/mempool.go
index 7d9438ed1..a5426991e 100644
--- a/mempool/mempool.go
+++ b/mempool/mempool.go
@@ -87,8 +87,14 @@ func NewMempool(config cfg.Config, proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnMempool) *Mempool {
 func (mem *Mempool) initWAL() {
 	walDir := mem.config.GetString("mempool_wal_dir")
 	if walDir != "" {
+		err := EnsureDir(walDir, 0700)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error("Error ensuring Mempool wal dir", "error", err)
+			PanicSanity(err)
+		}
 		af, err := auto.OpenAutoFile(walDir + "/wal")
 		if err != nil {
+			log.Error("Error opening Mempool wal file", "error", err)
 			PanicSanity(err)
 		}
 		mem.wal = af