diff --git a/src/io/io_routines.f90 b/src/io/io_routines.f90
index c4275362..1e501c07 100644
--- a/src/io/io_routines.f90
+++ b/src/io/io_routines.f90
@@ -1619,4 +1619,28 @@ integer function io_newunit(unit)
         if (present(unit)) unit=io_newunit
     end function io_newunit
 
+    !>------------------------------------------------------------
+    !! Checks if path exists from filename string
+    !!
+    !! If directory does not exist print error message and stop program
+    !!
+    !! @param filename string of path to write output/restart files to
+    !!
+    !!------------------------------------------------------------
+    subroutine check_writeable_path(filename)
+        use icar_constants, only : kMAX_FILE_LENGTH
+        implicit none
+        character(len=kMAX_FILE_LENGTH), intent(in) :: filename
+        character(len=kMAX_FILE_LENGTH) :: dir_path
+        integer :: dir_separator
+        logical :: dir_exists
+        dir_separator = index(filename, '/', back=.true.)
+        if (dir_separator > 0) then
+            dir_path = filename(1:dir_separator)
+            inquire(file=dir_path, exist=dir_exists)
+            if (dir_exists .eqv. .false.) then
+               stop "Following directory does not exist to write to: " // dir_path
+            end if
+         end if
+    end subroutine check_writeable_path
 end module io_routines
diff --git a/src/makefile b/src/makefile
index 3446a7a8..deca2b06 100644
--- a/src/makefile
+++ b/src/makefile
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ $(BUILD)pbl_utilities.o:$(UTIL)pbl_utilities.f90 $(BUILD)icar_constants.o 	\
 #	I/O routines
 ###################################################################
 
-$(BUILD)io_routines.o:$(IO)io_routines.f90 $(BUILD)data_structures.o
+$(BUILD)io_routines.o:$(IO)io_routines.f90 $(BUILD)data_structures.o $(BUILD)icar_constants.o
 
 $(BUILD)lt_lut_io.o: $(IO)lt_lut_io.f90 $(BUILD)data_structures.o $(BUILD)io_routines.o \
 				$(BUILD)string.o $(BUILD)opt_types.o $(BUILD)icar_constants.o
diff --git a/src/objects/options_obj.f90 b/src/objects/options_obj.f90
index d0bd900d..b5767adb 100644
--- a/src/objects/options_obj.f90
+++ b/src/objects/options_obj.f90
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
                                            kNO_STOCHASTIC, kVERSION_STRING, kMAX_FILE_LENGTH, kMAX_NAME_LENGTH, pi, &
                                            kWATER_LAKE, &
                                            kWIND_LINEAR, kLINEAR_ITERATIVE_WINDS, kITERATIVE_WINDS, kCONSERVE_MASS
-    use io_routines,                only : io_newunit
+    use io_routines,                only : io_newunit, check_writeable_path
     use time_io,                    only : find_timestep_in_file
     use time_delta_object,          only : time_delta_t
     use time_object,                only : Time_type
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ subroutine init_restart_options(filename, options)
         restart_file = get_image_filename(this_image(), restart_file, restart_time)
         restart_step = find_timestep_in_file(restart_file, 'time', restart_time, time_at_step)
 
-        ! check to see if we actually udpated the restart date and print if in a more verbose mode
+        ! check to see if we actually updated the restart date and print if in a more verbose mode
         if (options%debug) then
             if (restart_time /= time_at_step) then
                 if (this_image()==1) write(*,*) " updated restart date: ", trim(time_at_step%as_string())
@@ -702,10 +702,13 @@ subroutine output_namelist(filename, options)
             options%restart_count = max(24, nint(restartinterval))
         endif
 
+        ! check if directory paths to output and restart file strings exist
+        ! stop and report error if they do not rather than failing at write step
+        call check_writeable_path(output_file)
+        call check_writeable_path(restart_file)
         options%output_file = output_file
         options%restart_file = restart_file
 
-
     end subroutine output_namelist