diff --git a/src/main-utils.c b/src/main-utils.c
index 7385e9c2a..862428022 100644
--- a/src/main-utils.c
+++ b/src/main-utils.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <locale.h>
 
+#include <glib/gstdio.h>
 #include <glib-unix.h>
 #include <gmodule.h>
 
@@ -111,6 +112,31 @@ nm_main_utils_write_pidfile (const char *pidfile)
 	return success;
 }
 
+void
+nm_main_utils_ensure_statedir ()
+{
+	gs_free char *parent = NULL;
+	int errsv;
+
+	parent = g_path_get_dirname (NMSTATEDIR);
+
+	/* Ensure parent state directories exists */
+	if (   parent
+	    && parent[0] == '/'
+	    && parent[1] != '\0'
+	    && g_mkdir_with_parents (parent, 0755) != 0) {
+		errsv = errno;
+		fprintf (stderr, "Cannot create parents for '%s': %s", NMSTATEDIR, g_strerror (errsv));
+		exit (1);
+	}
+	/* Ensure state directory exists */
+	if (g_mkdir_with_parents (NMSTATEDIR, 0700) != 0) {
+		errsv = errno;
+		fprintf (stderr, "Cannot create '%s': %s", NMSTATEDIR, g_strerror (errsv));
+		exit (1);
+	}
+}
+
 void
 nm_main_utils_ensure_rundir ()
 {
diff --git a/src/main-utils.h b/src/main-utils.h
index cae97b57a..10ba3135f 100644
--- a/src/main-utils.h
+++ b/src/main-utils.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ void     nm_main_utils_ensure_root (void);
 
 void     nm_main_utils_setup_signals (GMainLoop *main_loop);
 
+void     nm_main_utils_ensure_statedir (void);
 void     nm_main_utils_ensure_rundir (void);
 
 gboolean nm_main_utils_write_pidfile (const char *pidfile);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index bf1224dfd..4616155d9 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -309,12 +309,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	nm_main_utils_ensure_not_running_pidfile (global_opt.pidfile);
 
-	/* Ensure state directory exists */
-	if (g_mkdir_with_parents (NMSTATEDIR, 0700) != 0) {
-		fprintf (stderr, "Cannot create '%s': %s", NMSTATEDIR, strerror (errno));
-		exit (1);
-	}
-
+	nm_main_utils_ensure_statedir ();
 	nm_main_utils_ensure_rundir ();
 
 	/* When running from the build directory, determine our build directory