diff --git a/lib/puppet/face/config.rb b/lib/puppet/face/config.rb
index a79fba90ad..c2c7f9d1a1 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/face/config.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/face/config.rb
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ def report_section_and_environment(section_name, environment_name)
       end
 
       path = Puppet::FileSystem.pathname(Puppet.settings.which_configuration_file)
+      Puppet::FileSystem.dir_mkpath(path)
       Puppet::FileSystem.touch(path)
       Puppet::FileSystem.open(path, nil, 'r+:UTF-8') do |file|
         Puppet::Settings::IniFile.update(file) do |config|
diff --git a/spec/unit/face/config_spec.rb b/spec/unit/face/config_spec.rb
index 052cd5c3a2..f5ad216b36 100644
--- a/spec/unit/face/config_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/face/config_spec.rb
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ def render(action, result)
     before(:each) do
       Puppet[:config] = config_file
       allow(Puppet::FileSystem).to receive(:pathname).with(path.to_s).and_return(path)
+      allow(Puppet::FileSystem).to receive(:dir_mkpath)
       allow(Puppet::FileSystem).to receive(:touch)
     end