diff --git a/onionshare/__init__.py b/onionshare/__init__.py
index 3ab5cfed..ec008f5d 100644
--- a/onionshare/__init__.py
+++ b/onionshare/__init__.py
@@ -72,22 +72,38 @@ def main(cwd=None):
     if debug:
         common.set_debug(debug)
 
-    # Validation
-    valid = True
-    for filename in filenames:
-        if not os.path.isfile(filename) and not os.path.isdir(filename):
-            print(strings._("not_a_file").format(filename))
-            valid = False
-        if not os.access(filename, os.R_OK):
-            print(strings._("not_a_readable_file").format(filename))
-            valid = False
-    if not valid:
-        sys.exit()
+    # Validate filenames
+    if not receive:
+        valid = True
+        for filename in filenames:
+            if not os.path.isfile(filename) and not os.path.isdir(filename):
+                print(strings._("not_a_file").format(filename))
+                valid = False
+            if not os.access(filename, os.R_OK):
+                print(strings._("not_a_readable_file").format(filename))
+                valid = False
+        if not valid:
+            sys.exit()
 
     # Load settings
     settings = Settings(config)
     settings.load()
 
+    # In receive mode, validate downloads dir
+    if receive:
+        valid = True
+        if not os.path.isdir(settings.get('downloads_dir')):
+            try:
+                os.mkdir(settings.get('downloads_dir'), 0o700)
+            except:
+                print(strings._('error_cannot_create_downloads_dir').format(settings.get('downloads_dir')))
+                valid = False
+        if valid and not os.access(settings.get('downloads_dir'), os.W_OK):
+            print(strings._('error_downloads_dir_not_writable').format(settings.get('downloads_dir')))
+            valid = False
+    if not valid:
+        sys.exit()
+
     # Create the Web object
     web = Web(debug, stay_open, False, receive)
 
diff --git a/share/locale/en.json b/share/locale/en.json
index 8686ea13..3340afd4 100644
--- a/share/locale/en.json
+++ b/share/locale/en.json
@@ -156,5 +156,7 @@
     "gui_file_info": "{} Files, {}",
     "gui_file_info_single": "{} File, {}",
     "info_in_progress_downloads_tooltip": "{} download(s) in progress",
-    "info_completed_downloads_tooltip": "{} download(s) completed"
+    "info_completed_downloads_tooltip": "{} download(s) completed",
+    "error_cannot_create_downloads_dir": "Error creating downloads folder: {}",
+    "error_downloads_dir_not_writable": "The downloads folder isn't writable: {}"
 }