diff --git a/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp b/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp
index add227b54a..e08c1afee4 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Scripting/AP_Scripting.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,15 @@ void AP_Scripting::init(void) {
         return;
     }
 
+    const char *dir_name = SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY;
+
+    if (!AP::FS().mkdir(dir_name)) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Lua: created new directory (%s)", dir_name);
+    } else if (errno != EEXIST) {
+        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Lua: failed to create (%s)", dir_name);
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (!hal.scheduler->thread_create(FUNCTOR_BIND_MEMBER(&AP_Scripting::thread, void),
                                       "Scripting", SCRIPTING_STACK_SIZE, AP_HAL::Scheduler::PRIORITY_SCRIPTING, 0)) {
         gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_CRITICAL, "Could not create scripting stack (%d)", SCRIPTING_STACK_SIZE);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp b/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp
index 244c09f644..3b6f85392d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.cpp
@@ -20,14 +20,6 @@
 
 #include <AP_Scripting/lua_generated_bindings.h>
 
-#ifndef SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY
-  #if HAL_OS_FATFS_IO
-    #define SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY "/APM/scripts"
-  #else
-    #define SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY "./scripts"
-  #endif //HAL_OS_FATFS_IO
-#endif // SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY
-
 extern const AP_HAL::HAL& hal;
 
 bool lua_scripts::overtime;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.h b/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.h
index f2f7be8708..ba684e2119 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Scripting/lua_scripts.h
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@
   #endif //HAL_OS_FATFS_IO
 #endif // REPL_DIRECTORY
 
+#ifndef SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY
+  #if HAL_OS_FATFS_IO
+    #define SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY "/APM/scripts"
+  #else
+    #define SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY "./scripts"
+  #endif //HAL_OS_FATFS_IO
+#endif // SCRIPTING_DIRECTORY
+
 #ifndef REPL_IN
   #define REPL_IN REPL_DIRECTORY "/in"
 #endif // REPL_IN