diff --git a/compute_worker/compute_worker.py b/compute_worker/compute_worker.py
index 573e72a94..87f320175 100644
--- a/compute_worker/compute_worker.py
+++ b/compute_worker/compute_worker.py
@@ -884,6 +884,9 @@ def _get_host_path(self, *paths):
         # Take our list of paths and smash 'em together
         path = os.path.join(*paths)
 
+        # Create if necessary
+        os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
+
         # pull front of path, which points to the location inside the container
         path = path[len(BASE_DIR) :]
 
@@ -891,9 +894,6 @@ def _get_host_path(self, *paths):
         # can be seen properly
         path = os.path.join(HOST_DIRECTORY, path)
 
-        # Create if necessary
-        os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
-
         return path
 
     async def _run_program_directory(self, program_dir, kind):