diff --git a/contrib/fwupd.spec.in b/contrib/fwupd.spec.in
index 7a2088042..6b632787f 100644
--- a/contrib/fwupd.spec.in
+++ b/contrib/fwupd.spec.in
@@ -162,9 +162,6 @@ make check VERBOSE=1
 %dir %{_localstatedir}/lib/fwupd
 %{_libdir}/libfwupd*.so.*
 %{_libdir}/girepository-1.0/Fwupd-1.0.typelib
-%dir %{_localstatedir}/cache/app-info
-%dir %{_localstatedir}/cache/app-info/icons
-%dir %{_localstatedir}/cache/app-info/xmls
 /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/*.rules
 %dir %{_libdir}/fwupd-plugins-2
 %{_libdir}/fwupd-plugins-2/libfu_plugin_altos.so
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 748d9d659..d4110f830 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -164,8 +164,6 @@ install-data-hook:
 	if test -w $$(dirname $(DESTDIR)$(localstatedir)/); then \
 		mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(localstatedir)/lib/fwupd; \
 		chmod 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(localstatedir)/lib/fwupd; \
-		mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(localstatedir)/cache/app-info/xmls; \
-		mkdir -p $(DESTDIR)$(localstatedir)/cache/app-info/icons; \
 	fi
 
 BUILT_SOURCES =						\
diff --git a/src/fu-main.c b/src/fu-main.c
index 8c06fcaf4..62b27798f 100644
--- a/src/fu-main.c
+++ b/src/fu-main.c
@@ -1266,6 +1266,7 @@ fu_main_daemon_update_metadata (FuMainPrivate *priv, gint fd, gint fd_sig, GErro
 	g_autoptr(FuKeyring) kr = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(GConverter) converter = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(GFile) file = NULL;
+	g_autoptr(GFile) file_parent = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(GInputStream) stream_buf = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(GInputStream) stream_fd = NULL;
 	g_autoptr(GInputStream) stream = NULL;
@@ -1335,9 +1336,16 @@ fu_main_daemon_update_metadata (FuMainPrivate *priv, gint fd, gint fd_sig, GErro
 		as_store_add_app (priv->store, app);
 	}
 
+	/* ensure directory exists */
+	file = g_file_new_for_path ("/var/cache/app-info/xmls/fwupd.xml");
+	file_parent = g_file_get_parent (file);
+	if (!g_file_query_exists (file_parent, NULL)) {
+		if (!g_file_make_directory_with_parents (file_parent, NULL, error))
+			return FALSE;
+	}
+
 	/* save the new file */
 	as_store_set_api_version (priv->store, 0.9);
-	file = g_file_new_for_path ("/var/cache/app-info/xmls/fwupd.xml");
 	if (!as_store_to_file (priv->store, file,
 			       AS_NODE_TO_XML_FLAG_ADD_HEADER |
 			       AS_NODE_TO_XML_FLAG_FORMAT_MULTILINE |