diff --git a/tubesync/tubesync/local_settings.py.container b/tubesync/tubesync/local_settings.py.container
index 84e29c5f..e75778b8 100644
--- a/tubesync/tubesync/local_settings.py.container
+++ b/tubesync/tubesync/local_settings.py.container
@@ -88,3 +88,13 @@ SOURCE_DOWNLOAD_DIRECTORY_PREFIX = True if SOURCE_DOWNLOAD_DIRECTORY_PREFIX_STR
 
 
 VIDEO_HEIGHT_CUTOFF = int(os.getenv("TUBESYNC_VIDEO_HEIGHT_CUTOFF", "240"))
+
+
+# ensure that the current directory exists
+if not YOUTUBE_DL_CACHEDIR.is_dir():
+    YOUTUBE_DL_CACHEDIR.mkdir(parents=True)
+# rename any old yt_dlp cache directories to the current directory
+old_youtube_cache_dirs = list(YOUTUBE_DL_CACHEDIR.parent.glob('youtube-*'))
+for cache_dir in old_youtube_cache_dirs:
+    cache_dir.rename(YOUTUBE_DL_CACHEDIR / cache_dir.name)
+