Index: dbfile.scm
==================================================================
--- dbfile.scm
+++ dbfile.scm
@@ -474,10 +474,11 @@
 (define (dbfile:cautious-open-database fname init-proc #!optional (tries-left 50))
 
   (let* ((busy-file  (conc fname"-journal"))
 	 (delay-time (* (- 51 tries-left) 1.1))
       	 (write-access (file-write-access? fname))
+         (dir-access (file-write-access? (pathname-directory fname)))
          (retry      (lambda ()
 		       (thread-sleep! delay-time)
 		       (if (> tries-left 0)
 			   (dbfile:cautious-open-database fname init-proc (- tries-left 1))))))
     (assert (>= tries-left 0) (conc "FATAL: too many attempts in dbfile:cautious-open-database of "fname", giving up."))
@@ -492,22 +493,27 @@
 		(dbfile:print-err "INFO: forcing journal rollup "busy-file)
 		(dbfile:brute-force-salvage-db fname)))
 	  (dbfile:cautious-open-database fname init-proc (- tries-left 1)))
 
 	(let* ((result (condition-case
-		         (if write-access
+		         (if dir-access
 			   (dbfile:with-simple-file-lock
 			    (conc fname ".lock")
 			    (lambda ()
 			      (let* ((db-exists (file-exists? fname))
-				     (db        (sqlite3:open-database fname)))
+				     (db        (sqlite3:open-database fname))) ;; creates an empty db if it did not already exist.
 				(if (and init-proc (not db-exists))
 				    (init-proc db))
 				db)))
-                             (if (file-exists? fname )
-                                   (sqlite3:open-database fname)
-                             )
+                            (begin
+                               (if (file-exists? fname )
+                                   (begin
+                                      (sqlite3:open-database fname)
+                                   )
+                                   (print "file doesn't exist: " fname)
+                               )
+                            )
                          )
 			 (exn (io-error)
 			      (dbfile:print-err exn "ERROR: i/o error with " fname ". Check permissions, disk space etc. and try again.")
 			      (retry))
 			 (exn (corrupt)