diff --git a/presto-hive/src/main/java/com/facebook/presto/hive/HiveMetadata.java b/presto-hive/src/main/java/com/facebook/presto/hive/HiveMetadata.java
index cb55230ed41de..27306faaf67be 100644
--- a/presto-hive/src/main/java/com/facebook/presto/hive/HiveMetadata.java
+++ b/presto-hive/src/main/java/com/facebook/presto/hive/HiveMetadata.java
@@ -1328,7 +1328,7 @@ private Path getExternalPath(HdfsContext context, String location)
     {
         try {
             Path path = new Path(location);
-            if (!hdfsEnvironment.getFileSystem(context, path).isDirectory(path)) {
+            if (hdfsEnvironment.getFileSystem(context, path).exists(path) && !hdfsEnvironment.getFileSystem(context, path).isDirectory(path)) {
                 throw new PrestoException(INVALID_TABLE_PROPERTY, "External location must be a directory");
             }
             return path;