diff --git a/org.eclipse.jdt.core/search/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/core/index/FileIndexLocation.java b/org.eclipse.jdt.core/search/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/core/index/FileIndexLocation.java
index 67fc9ae..a475c9e 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jdt.core/search/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/core/index/FileIndexLocation.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jdt.core/search/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/core/index/FileIndexLocation.java
@@ -38,7 +38,20 @@
 	}
 
 	public boolean createNewFile() throws IOException {
-		return this.indexFile.createNewFile();
+		
+		// ensure the directory that will hold the index file exists
+		boolean createdFile = false;
+		File indexDirectory = this.indexFile.getParentFile();
+		if(indexDirectory != null) {
+			boolean parentDirExists = indexDirectory.exists();
+			if(!parentDirExists) {
+				parentDirExists = indexDirectory.mkdirs();
+			}
+			if(parentDirExists) {
+				createdFile = this.indexFile.createNewFile();
+			}
+		}
+		return createdFile;
 	}
 
 	public boolean delete() {