diff --git a/packages/cubejs-backend-shared/src/FileRepository.ts b/packages/cubejs-backend-shared/src/FileRepository.ts
index 9b1afc1d7bd32..930f2c91bf1ee 100644
--- a/packages/cubejs-backend-shared/src/FileRepository.ts
+++ b/packages/cubejs-backend-shared/src/FileRepository.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ export class FileRepository implements SchemaFileRepository {
     let files: string[] = [];
     
     try {
-      files = await fs.readdir(path.join(this.localPath(), dir));
+      const fullPath = path.join(this.localPath(), dir);
+      await fs.ensureDir(fullPath);
+      files = await fs.readdir(fullPath);
     } catch (e) {
       throw new Error(`Model files not found. Please make sure the "${this.repositoryPath}" directory exists and contains model files.`);
     }