diff --git a/Code/Support/RKDirectory.h b/Code/Support/RKDirectory.h
index 6c6d17aa..18318144 100644
--- a/Code/Support/RKDirectory.h
+++ b/Code/Support/RKDirectory.h
@@ -18,13 +18,28 @@
  Returns the path to the Application Data directory for the executing application. On iOS,
  this is a sandboxed path specific for the executing application. On OS X, this is an application
  specific path under NSApplicationSupportDirectory (i.e. ~/Application Support).
+
+ @return The full path to the application data directory.
  */
 + (NSString *)applicationDataDirectory;
 
 /**
  Returns a path to the root caches directory used by RestKit for storage. On iOS, this is
+ a sanboxed path specific for the executing application. On OS X, this is an application
+ specific path under NSCachesDirectory (i.e. ~/Library/Caches).
  
+ @return The full path to the Caches directory.
  */
 + (NSString *)cachesDirectory;
 
+/**
+ Ensures that a directory exists at a given path by checking for the existence
+ of the directory and creating it if it does not exist.
+
+ @param path The path to ensure a directory exists at.
+ @param error On input, a pointer to an error object.
+ @returns A Boolean value indicating if the directory exists.
+ */
++ (BOOL)ensureDirectoryExistsAtPath:(NSString *)path error:(NSError **)error;
+
 @end
diff --git a/Code/Support/RKDirectory.m b/Code/Support/RKDirectory.m
index adbc02fd..2685c6a9 100644
--- a/Code/Support/RKDirectory.m
+++ b/Code/Support/RKDirectory.m
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@
 //
 
 #import "RKDirectory.h"
+#import "NSBundle+RKAdditions.h"
 #import "RKLog.h"
 
 @implementation RKDirectory
 
-+ (NSString *)executableName {
-    NSString *executableName = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] infoDictionary] objectForKey:@"CFBundleExecutable"];
++ (NSString *)executableName
+{
+    NSString *executableName = [[[NSBundle mainBundle] executablePath] lastPathComponent];
     if (nil == executableName) {
         RKLogWarning(@"Unable to determine CFBundleExecutable: storing data under RestKit directory name.");
         executableName = @"RestKit";
@@ -21,34 +23,21 @@
     return executableName;
 }
 
-+ (NSString *)applicationDataDirectory {
++ (NSString *)applicationDataDirectory
+{
 #if TARGET_OS_IPHONE
     
     NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
-    NSString *basePath = ([paths count] > 0) ? [paths objectAtIndex:0] : nil;
-    if (basePath) {
-        // In unit tests the Documents/ path may not exist
-        if(! [[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:basePath]) {
-            NSError* error = nil;
-            
-            if(! [[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:basePath withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error]) {
-                RKLogError(@"%@", error);
-            }
-        }
-        
-        return basePath;
-    }
-    
-    return nil;
+    return ([paths count] > 0) ? [paths objectAtIndex:0] : nil;
     
 #else
     
-    NSFileManager* sharedFM = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
+    NSFileManager *sharedFM = [NSFileManager defaultManager];
     
-    NSArray* possibleURLs = [sharedFM URLsForDirectory:NSApplicationSupportDirectory
+    NSArray *possibleURLs = [sharedFM URLsForDirectory:NSApplicationSupportDirectory
                                              inDomains:NSUserDomainMask];
-    NSURL* appSupportDir = nil;
-    NSURL* appDirectory = nil;
+    NSURL *appSupportDir = nil;
+    NSURL *appDirectory = nil;
     
     if ([possibleURLs count] >= 1) {
         appSupportDir = [possibleURLs objectAtIndex:0];
@@ -57,15 +46,6 @@
     if (appSupportDir) {
         NSString *executableName = [RKDirectory executableName];
         appDirectory = [appSupportDir URLByAppendingPathComponent:executableName];
-        
-        
-        if(![sharedFM fileExistsAtPath:[appDirectory path]]) {
-            NSError* error = nil;
-            
-            if(![sharedFM createDirectoryAtURL:appDirectory withIntermediateDirectories:NO attributes:nil error:&error]) {
-                RKLogError(@"%@", error);
-            }
-        }
         return [appDirectory path];
     }
     
@@ -73,7 +53,8 @@
 #endif
 }
 
-+ (NSString *)cachesDirectory {
++ (NSString *)cachesDirectory
+{
 #if TARGET_OS_IPHONE    
     return [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSCachesDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0];
 #else
@@ -87,4 +68,25 @@
 #endif
 }
 
++ (BOOL)ensureDirectoryExistsAtPath:(NSString *)path error:(NSError **)error
+{
+    BOOL isDirectory;
+    if ([[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:path isDirectory:&isDirectory]) {
+        if (isDirectory) {
+            // Exists at a path and is a directory, we're good
+            if (error) *error = nil;
+            return YES;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Create the directory and any intermediates
+    NSError *errorReference = (error == nil) ? nil : *error;
+    if (! [[NSFileManager defaultManager] createDirectoryAtPath:path withIntermediateDirectories:YES attributes:nil error:&errorReference]) {
+        RKLogError(@"Failed to create requested directory at path '%@': %@", path, errorReference);
+        return NO;
+    }
+
+    return YES;
+}
+
 @end
diff --git a/Tests/RKTestEnvironment.m b/Tests/RKTestEnvironment.m
index 3808548a..8fdab6fa 100644
--- a/Tests/RKTestEnvironment.m
+++ b/Tests/RKTestEnvironment.m
@@ -38,8 +38,24 @@ void RKTestClearCacheDirectory(void) {
 
 + (void)initialize
 {
+    // Configure fixture bundle
     NSBundle *fixtureBundle = [NSBundle bundleWithIdentifier:@"org.restkit.unit-tests"];
     [RKTestFixture setFixtureBundle:fixtureBundle];
+
+    // Ensure the required directories exist
+    BOOL directoryExists;
+    NSError *error = nil;
+    directoryExists = [RKDirectory ensureDirectoryExistsAtPath:[RKDirectory applicationDataDirectory] error:&error];
+    if (! directoryExists) {
+        RKLogError(@"Failed to create application data directory. Unable to run tests: %@", error);
+        NSAssert(directoryExists, @"Failed to create application data directory.");
+    }
+
+    directoryExists = [RKDirectory ensureDirectoryExistsAtPath:[RKDirectory cachesDirectory] error:&error];
+    if (! directoryExists) {
+        RKLogError(@"Failed to create caches directory. Unable to run tests: %@", error);
+        NSAssert(directoryExists, @"Failed to create caches directory.");
+    }
 }
 
 @end