diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index 616f19c50a..be29639a3b 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -152,8 +152,6 @@ Session::first_stage_init (string fullpath, string snapshot_name)
 		_path += G_DIR_SEPARATOR;
 	}
 
-	_writable = exists_and_writable (sys::path (_path));
-
 	/* these two are just provisional settings. set_state()
 	   will likely override them.
 	*/
@@ -515,6 +513,8 @@ Session::create (const string& mix_template, BusProfile* bus_profile)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	_writable = exists_and_writable (sys::path (_path));
+
 	if (!mix_template.empty()) {
 		std::string in_path = mix_template;