diff --git a/entrypoints/run-node.sh b/entrypoints/run-node.sh
index 04f11356..38ea56eb 100755
--- a/entrypoints/run-node.sh
+++ b/entrypoints/run-node.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ else
     fetchd start --p2p.laddr tcp://127.0.0.1:26656 --rpc.laddr tcp://127.0.0.1:26657 ${P2PPEX} ${PERSPEERS} ${PRIVPEERS} ${SEEDMODE} ${SEEDS} ${PRUNING}
   else
     VALIDATOR_STATE_FILE="/root/.fetchd/data/priv_validator_state.json"
+    VALIDATOR_STATE_DIR="/root/.fetchd/data"
 
     # Copy readonly values from configmap dir to /root/.gaiad/config
     mkdir -p /root/.fetchd/config
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ else
     ##
     if [ ! -f "$VALIDATOR_STATE_FILE" ];
     then
+      mkdir $VALIDATOR_STATE_DIR
       echo "$VALIDATOR_STATE_FILE not found"
       echo "---"
       echo "Creating priv_validator_state.json"
@@ -54,4 +56,4 @@ else
 
     fetchd start --p2p.laddr tcp://127.0.0.1:26656 --rpc.laddr tcp://127.0.0.1:26657 ${P2PPEX} ${PERSPEERS} ${PRIVPEERS} ${SEEDMODE} ${SEEDS} ${PRUNING}
   fi
-fi
\ No newline at end of file
+fi