diff --git a/xdas/core/dataarray.py b/xdas/core/dataarray.py
index 2dd762a..7a9ae94 100644
--- a/xdas/core/dataarray.py
+++ b/xdas/core/dataarray.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import re
 import warnings
 from functools import partial
+import os
 
 import h5netcdf
 import h5py
@@ -904,6 +905,9 @@ def to_netcdf(self, fname, mode="w", group=None, virtual=None, encoding=None):
         attrs = {} if self.attrs is None else self.attrs
         attrs |= {"coordinate_interpolation": mapping} if mapping else attrs
         name = "__values__" if self.name is None else self.name
+        if os.path.dirname(fname) is not "" and not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(fname)):
+            os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(fname), exist_ok=True)
+
         with h5netcdf.File(fname, mode=mode) as file:
             if group is not None and group not in file:
                 file.create_group(group)
diff --git a/xdas/core/datacollection.py b/xdas/core/datacollection.py
index 4a95a5b..a2df095 100644
--- a/xdas/core/datacollection.py
+++ b/xdas/core/datacollection.py
@@ -239,6 +239,8 @@ def to_netcdf(self, fname, mode="w", group=None, virtual=None, encoding=None):
             location = "/".join([name, str(key)])
             if group is not None:
                 location = "/".join([group, location])
+            if os.path.dirname(fname) is not "" and not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(fname)):
+                os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(fname), exist_ok=True)
             self[key].to_netcdf(
                 fname,
                 mode="a",