diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration.h
index 91a1d04714..d60d40a68d 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class Configuration : public PBD::Stateful
 	int save_state ();
 
 	/// calls Stateful::*instant_xml methods using 
-	/// ARDOUR::get_user_ardour_path for the directory
+	/// ARDOUR::user_config_directory for the directory argument
 	void add_instant_xml (XMLNode&);
 	XMLNode * instant_xml (const std::string& str);
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/configuration.cc b/libs/ardour/configuration.cc
index 25ff635556..655477e558 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/configuration.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/configuration.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <ardour/configuration.h>
 #include <ardour/audio_diskstream.h>
 #include <ardour/control_protocol_manager.h>
+#include <ardour/filesystem_paths.h>
 
 #include "i18n.h"
 
@@ -160,13 +161,13 @@ Configuration::save_state()
 void
 Configuration::add_instant_xml(XMLNode& node)
 {
-	Stateful::add_instant_xml (node, get_user_ardour_path());
+	Stateful::add_instant_xml (node, user_config_directory ());
 }
 
 XMLNode*
 Configuration::instant_xml(const string& node_name)
 {
-	return Stateful::instant_xml (node_name, get_user_ardour_path());
+	return Stateful::instant_xml (node_name, user_config_directory ());
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libs/pbd/stateful.cc b/libs/pbd/stateful.cc
index 691c03fbad..da014d738f 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/stateful.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/stateful.cc
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ Stateful::extra_xml (const string& str)
 void
 Stateful::add_instant_xml (XMLNode& node, const sys::path& directory_path)
 {
+	sys::create_directories (directory_path); // may throw
+
 	if (_instant_xml == 0) {
 		_instant_xml = new XMLNode ("instant");
 	}