diff --git a/cmd/handler.go b/cmd/handler.go
index 9a58baaf..c0863382 100644
--- a/cmd/handler.go
+++ b/cmd/handler.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"gotest.tools/gotestsum/internal/junitxml"
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ func newEventHandler(opts *options) (*eventHandler, error) {
 	}
 	var err error
 	if opts.jsonFile != "" {
+		_ = os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(opts.jsonFile), 0o755)
 		handler.jsonFile, err = os.Create(opts.jsonFile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return handler, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to open JSON file")
@@ -80,6 +82,7 @@ func writeJUnitFile(opts *options, execution *testjson.Execution) error {
 	if opts.junitFile == "" {
 		return nil
 	}
+	_ = os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(opts.junitFile), 0o755)
 	junitFile, err := os.Create(opts.junitFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to open JUnit file: %v", err)
diff --git a/cmd/handler_test.go b/cmd/handler_test.go
index c31c766f..f5a742f2 100644
--- a/cmd/handler_test.go
+++ b/cmd/handler_test.go
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"gotest.tools/gotestsum/testjson"
 	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
 	"gotest.tools/v3/env"
+	"gotest.tools/v3/fs"
 	"gotest.tools/v3/golden"
 )
 
@@ -85,3 +87,36 @@ func TestEventHandler_Event_MaxFails(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := testjson.ScanTestOutput(cfg)
 	assert.Error(t, err, "ending test run because max failures was reached")
 }
+
+func TestNewEventHandler_CreatesDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := fs.NewDir(t, t.Name())
+	jsonFile := filepath.Join(dir.Path(), "new-path", "log.json")
+
+	opts := &options{
+		stdout:   new(bytes.Buffer),
+		format:   "testname",
+		jsonFile: jsonFile,
+	}
+	_, err := newEventHandler(opts)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = os.Stat(jsonFile)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+}
+
+func TestWriteJunitFile_CreatesDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := fs.NewDir(t, t.Name())
+	junitFile := filepath.Join(dir.Path(), "new-path", "junit.xml")
+
+	opts := &options{
+		junitFile:                    junitFile,
+		junitTestCaseClassnameFormat: &junitFieldFormatValue{},
+		junitTestSuiteNameFormat:     &junitFieldFormatValue{},
+	}
+	exec := &testjson.Execution{}
+	err := writeJUnitFile(opts, exec)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = os.Stat(junitFile)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index b3e72f0c..6aefe2f1 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ require (
 	gotest.tools/v3 v3.0.3
 )
 
-go 1.11
+go 1.13