diff --git a/src/api/api.cpp b/src/api/api.cpp
index 6c8b910c..4d3cf3b6 100644
--- a/src/api/api.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api.cpp
@@ -482,6 +482,8 @@ LOOT_API unsigned int loot_update_masterlist(loot_db db,
                                              bool * const updated) {
     if (db == nullptr || masterlistPath == nullptr || remoteURL == nullptr || remoteBranch == nullptr || updated == nullptr)
         return c_error(loot_error_invalid_args, "Null pointer passed.");
+    if (!boost::filesystem::is_directory(boost::filesystem::path(masterlistPath).parent_path()))
+        return c_error(loot_error_invalid_args, "Given masterlist path \"" + std::string(masterlistPath) + "\" does not have a valid parent directory.");
 
     *updated = false;
 
diff --git a/src/tests/api/api.h b/src/tests/api/api.h
index 18306546..06bfcc6e 100644
--- a/src/tests/api/api.h
+++ b/src/tests/api/api.h
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ TEST_F(OblivionAPIOperationsTest, UpdateMasterlist) {
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_invalid_args, loot_update_masterlist(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", NULL, &updated));
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_invalid_args, loot_update_masterlist(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "master", NULL));
 
-    EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_git_error, loot_update_masterlist(db, ";//\?", "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "master", &updated));
-    EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_git_error, loot_update_masterlist(db, "", "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "master", &updated));
+    EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_invalid_args, loot_update_masterlist(db, ";//\?", "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "master", &updated));
+    EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_invalid_args, loot_update_masterlist(db, "", "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "master", &updated));
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_git_error, loot_update_masterlist(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), "https://github.com/loot/oblivion-does-not-exist.git", "master", &updated));
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_git_error, loot_update_masterlist(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "missing-branch", &updated));
     EXPECT_EQ(loot_error_git_error, loot_update_masterlist(db, masterlistPath.string().c_str(), "https://github.com/loot/oblivion.git", "", &updated));