diff --git a/src/pylorax/api/config.py b/src/pylorax/api/config.py
index b4663541..c15e0e6e 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/api/config.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/api/config.py
@@ -61,3 +61,15 @@ def configure(conf_file="/etc/lorax/composer.conf", root_dir="/", test_config=Fa
             conf.read(conf_file)
 
     return conf
+
+def make_yum_dirs(conf):
+    """Make any missing yum directories
+
+    :param conf: The configuration to use
+    :type conf: ComposerConfig
+    :returns: None
+    """
+    for p in ["yum_conf", "repo_dir", "cache_dir"]:
+        p_dir = os.path.dirname(conf.get("composer", p))
+        if not os.path.exists(p_dir):
+            os.makedirs(p_dir)
diff --git a/src/sbin/lorax-composer b/src/sbin/lorax-composer
index af87a21d..89e65b4b 100755
--- a/src/sbin/lorax-composer
+++ b/src/sbin/lorax-composer
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ from gevent.wsgi import WSGIServer
 from pyanaconda.queue import QueueFactory
 
 from pylorax import vernum
-from pylorax.api.config import configure
+from pylorax.api.config import configure, make_yum_dirs
 from pylorax.api.queue import monitor
 from pylorax.api.recipes import open_or_create_repo, commit_recipe_directory
 from pylorax.api.server import server, GitLock, YumLock
@@ -232,10 +232,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     log.debug("user is now %s:%s", os.getresuid(), os.getresgid())
 
     # Make sure yumbase directories are created
-    for p in ["yum_conf", "repo_dir", "cache_dir"]:
-        p_dir = os.path.dirname(server.config["COMPOSER_CFG"].get("composer", p))
-        if not os.path.exists(p_dir):
-            os.makedirs(p_dir)
+    make_yum_dirs(server.config["COMPOSER_CFG"])
 
     # Get a YumBase to share with the requests
     yb = get_base_object(server.config["COMPOSER_CFG"])
diff --git a/tests/pylorax/test_projects.py b/tests/pylorax/test_projects.py
index ffd764f8..ce9588ec 100644
--- a/tests/pylorax/test_projects.py
+++ b/tests/pylorax/test_projects.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import shutil
 import tempfile
 import unittest
 
-from pylorax.api.config import configure
+from pylorax.api.config import configure, make_yum_dirs
 from pylorax.api.projects import api_time, api_changelog, yaps_to_project, yaps_to_project_info
 from pylorax.api.projects import tm_to_dep, yaps_to_module, projects_list, projects_info, projects_depsolve
 from pylorax.api.projects import modules_list, modules_info, ProjectsError, dep_evra
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class ProjectsTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUpClass(self):
         self.tmp_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="lorax.test.repo.")
         self.config = configure(root_dir=self.tmp_dir, test_config=True)
+        make_yum_dirs(self.config)
         self.yb = get_base_object(self.config)
         os.environ["TZ"] = "UTC"
         time.tzset()
diff --git a/tests/pylorax/test_server.py b/tests/pylorax/test_server.py
index 36406d7c..2f121afd 100644
--- a/tests/pylorax/test_server.py
+++ b/tests/pylorax/test_server.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import unittest
 
 from flask import json
 import pytoml as toml
-from pylorax.api.config import configure
+from pylorax.api.config import configure, make_yum_dirs
 from pylorax.api.recipes import open_or_create_repo, commit_recipe_directory
 from pylorax.api.server import server, GitLock, YumLock
 from pylorax.api.yumbase import get_base_object
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class ServerTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         server.config["GITLOCK"] = GitLock(repo=repo, lock=Lock(), dir=repo_dir)
 
         server.config["COMPOSER_CFG"] = configure(root_dir=repo_dir, test_config=True)
+        make_yum_dirs(server.config["COMPOSER_CFG"])
         yb = get_base_object(server.config["COMPOSER_CFG"])
         server.config["YUMLOCK"] = YumLock(yb=yb, lock=Lock())