diff --git a/server/image.go b/server/image.go
index 21c45508..cabc9136 100644
--- a/server/image.go
+++ b/server/image.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package server
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/containers/image/directory"
 	"github.com/containers/image/image"
@@ -52,11 +53,11 @@ func (s *Server) PullImage(ctx context.Context, req *pb.PullImageRequest) (*pb.P
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	// TODO: make sure this dir exists?
-	if err := os.Mkdir("/var/lib/ocid/images/"+tr.StringWithinTransport(), 0755); err != nil {
+
+	if err := os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(imageStore, tr.StringWithinTransport()), 0755); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	dir, err := directory.NewReference("/var/lib/ocid/images/" + tr.StringWithinTransport())
+	dir, err := directory.NewReference(filepath.Join(imageStore, tr.StringWithinTransport()))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index b1faf80e..91ee80da 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package server
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 
 	"github.com/mrunalp/ocid/oci"
 	"github.com/mrunalp/ocid/utils"
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	runtimeAPIVersion = "v1alpha1"
+	imageStore        = "/var/lib/ocid/images"
 )
 
 // Server implements the RuntimeService and ImageService
@@ -26,6 +28,10 @@ func New(runtimePath, sandboxDir, containerDir string) (*Server, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set server as subreaper: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(imageStore, 0755); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	r, err := oci.New(runtimePath, containerDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err