diff --git a/modules/setting/setting.go b/modules/setting/setting.go
index de0f5cbad..dd7dbd3fd 100644
--- a/modules/setting/setting.go
+++ b/modules/setting/setting.go
@@ -749,10 +749,6 @@ func NewContext() {
 	LFS.HTTPAuthExpiry = sec.Key("LFS_HTTP_AUTH_EXPIRY").MustDuration(20 * time.Minute)
 
 	if LFS.StartServer {
-		if err := os.MkdirAll(LFS.ContentPath, 0700); err != nil {
-			log.Fatal("Failed to create '%s': %v", LFS.ContentPath, err)
-		}
-
 		LFS.JWTSecretBytes = make([]byte, 32)
 		n, err := base64.RawURLEncoding.Decode(LFS.JWTSecretBytes, []byte(LFS.JWTSecretBase64))
 
@@ -1111,11 +1107,20 @@ func loadOrGenerateInternalToken(sec *ini.Section) string {
 	return token
 }
 
+func ensureLFSDirectory() {
+	if LFS.StartServer {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(LFS.ContentPath, 0700); err != nil {
+			log.Fatal("Failed to create '%s': %v", LFS.ContentPath, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // NewServices initializes the services
 func NewServices() {
 	InitDBConfig()
 	newService()
 	NewLogServices(false)
+	ensureLFSDirectory()
 	newCacheService()
 	newSessionService()
 	newCORSService()