diff --git a/apps/app_dial.c b/apps/app_dial.c
index 130006f6e6..e2393336da 100644
--- a/apps/app_dial.c
+++ b/apps/app_dial.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <sys/signal.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 
 #include "asterisk.h"
@@ -965,7 +966,13 @@ static int dial_exec_full(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data, struct ast_flags
 			   unless it is already there-- this should be done before the 
 			   call is actually dialed  */
 
-			/* make sure the priv-callerintros dir exists? */
+			/* make sure the priv-callerintros dir actually exists */
+			snprintf(privintro, sizeof(privintro), "%s/sounds/priv-callerintros", ast_config_AST_VAR_DIR);
+			if (mkdir(privintro, 0755) && errno != EEXIST) {
+				ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "privacy: can't create directory priv-callerintros: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+				res = -1;
+				goto out;
+			}
 
 			snprintf(privintro,sizeof(privintro),"priv-callerintros/%s", privcid);
 			if( ast_fileexists(privintro,NULL,NULL ) > 0 && strncmp(privcid,"NOCALLERID",10) != 0) {