diff --git a/models/ssh_key.go b/models/ssh_key.go
index b7c5b4fe6e587..d1132bf0c61a0 100644
--- a/models/ssh_key.go
+++ b/models/ssh_key.go
@@ -358,6 +358,18 @@ func appendAuthorizedKeysToFile(keys ...*PublicKey) error {
 	sshOpLocker.Lock()
 	defer sshOpLocker.Unlock()
 
+	if setting.SSH.RootPath != "" {
+		// First of ensure that the RootPath is present, and if not make it with 0700 permissions
+		// This of course doesn't guarantee that this is the right directory for authorized_keys
+		// but at least if it's supposed to be this directory and it doesn't exist and we're the
+		// right user it will at least be created properly.
+		err := os.MkdirAll(setting.SSH.RootPath, 0700)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error("Unable to MkdirAll(%s): %v", setting.SSH.RootPath, err)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	fPath := filepath.Join(setting.SSH.RootPath, "authorized_keys")
 	f, err := os.OpenFile(fPath, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND, 0600)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -645,6 +657,18 @@ func rewriteAllPublicKeys(e Engine) error {
 	sshOpLocker.Lock()
 	defer sshOpLocker.Unlock()
 
+	if setting.SSH.RootPath != "" {
+		// First of ensure that the RootPath is present, and if not make it with 0700 permissions
+		// This of course doesn't guarantee that this is the right directory for authorized_keys
+		// but at least if it's supposed to be this directory and it doesn't exist and we're the
+		// right user it will at least be created properly.
+		err := os.MkdirAll(setting.SSH.RootPath, 0700)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error("Unable to MkdirAll(%s): %v", setting.SSH.RootPath, err)
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	fPath := filepath.Join(setting.SSH.RootPath, "authorized_keys")
 	tmpPath := fPath + ".tmp"
 	t, err := os.OpenFile(tmpPath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0600)