diff --git a/include/shared.h b/include/shared.h
index 9afd5f0a7..dc08ff278 100644
--- a/include/shared.h
+++ b/include/shared.h
@@ -46,5 +46,6 @@ bool hc_path_is_empty (const char *path);
 bool hc_path_exist (const char *path);
 bool hc_path_read (const char *path);
 bool hc_path_write (const char *path);
+bool hc_path_create (const char *path);
 
 #endif // _SHARED_H
diff --git a/src/shared.c b/src/shared.c
index 44efc0306..fbffa6967 100644
--- a/src/shared.c
+++ b/src/shared.c
@@ -242,6 +242,17 @@ bool hc_path_write (const char *path)
   return true;
 }
 
+bool hc_path_create (const char *path)
+{
+  if (hc_path_exist (path) == true) return false;
+
+  if (creat (path, O_CREAT) == -1) return false;
+
+  unlink (path);
+
+  return true;
+}
+
 void setup_environment_variables ()
 {
   char *compute = getenv ("COMPUTE");
diff --git a/src/user_options.c b/src/user_options.c
index 408e68871..b796f1e91 100644
--- a/src/user_options.c
+++ b/src/user_options.c
@@ -1474,6 +1474,15 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
       {
         event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", logfile_ctx->logfile);
 
+        return -1;
+      }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      if (hc_path_create (logfile_ctx->logfile) == false)
+      {
+        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", logfile_ctx->logfile);
+
         return -1;
       }
     }
@@ -1506,6 +1515,15 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
       {
         event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", outfile_ctx->filename);
 
+        return -1;
+      }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      if (hc_path_create (outfile_ctx->filename) == false)
+      {
+        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", outfile_ctx->filename);
+
         return -1;
       }
     }
@@ -1584,6 +1602,15 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
       return -1;
     }
   }
+  else
+  {
+    if (hc_path_create (pidfile_ctx->filename) == false)
+    {
+      event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", pidfile_ctx->filename);
+
+      return -1;
+    }
+  }
 
   // potfile
 
@@ -1595,6 +1622,15 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
       {
         event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", potfile_ctx->filename);
 
+        return -1;
+      }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      if (hc_path_create (potfile_ctx->filename) == false)
+      {
+        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", potfile_ctx->filename);
+
         return -1;
       }
     }
@@ -1610,6 +1646,15 @@ int user_options_check_files (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
       {
         event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", dictstat_ctx->filename);
 
+        return -1;
+      }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      if (hc_path_create (dictstat_ctx->filename) == false)
+      {
+        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %m", dictstat_ctx->filename);
+
         return -1;
       }
     }