diff --git a/packages/client/bin/cli.ts b/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
index d857b8f12a..8d5780664c 100755
--- a/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/client/bin/cli.ts
@@ -487,17 +487,23 @@ function initDBs(config: Config): {
 } {
   // Chain DB
   const chainDataDir = config.getDataDirectory(DataDirectory.Chain)
-  mkdirSync(chainDataDir)
+  mkdirSync(chainDataDir, {
+    recursive: true,
+  })
   const chainDB = new Level<string | Uint8Array, string | Uint8Array>(chainDataDir)
 
   // State DB
   const stateDataDir = config.getDataDirectory(DataDirectory.State)
-  mkdirSync(stateDataDir)
+  mkdirSync(stateDataDir, {
+    recursive: true,
+  })
   const stateDB = new Level<string | Uint8Array, string | Uint8Array>(stateDataDir)
 
   // Meta DB (receipts, logs, indexes, skeleton chain)
   const metaDataDir = config.getDataDirectory(DataDirectory.Meta)
-  mkdirSync(metaDataDir)
+  mkdirSync(metaDataDir, {
+    recursive: true,
+  })
   const metaDB = new Level<string | Uint8Array, string | Uint8Array>(metaDataDir)
 
   return { chainDB, stateDB, metaDB }
@@ -1010,7 +1016,9 @@ async function run() {
   const datadir = args.dataDir ?? Config.DATADIR_DEFAULT
   const networkDir = `${datadir}/${common.chainName()}`
   const configDirectory = `${networkDir}/config`
-  mkdirSync(configDirectory)
+  mkdirSync(configDirectory, {
+    recursive: true,
+  })
   const key = await Config.getClientKey(datadir, common)
 
   // logFile is either filename or boolean true or false to enable (with default) or disable