diff --git a/src/spice2x/avs/core.cpp b/src/spice2x/avs/core.cpp
index 32d000b..572a61e 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/avs/core.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/avs/core.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "external/robin_hood.h"
 #include "launcher/logger.h"
+#include "launcher/signal.h"
 #include "util/detour.h"
 #include "util/fileutils.h"
 #include "util/libutils.h"
@@ -1736,7 +1737,13 @@ namespace avs {
             return;
         }
 
-        static void create_dir(
+        static void avs_dir_err(const std::filesystem::path &src_path)
+        {
+            launcher::signal::AVS_DIR_CREATION_FAILURE = TRUE;
+            launcher::signal::AVS_SRC_PATH = src_path.string();
+        }
+
+        static void create_avs_dir(
                 const std::string_view &avs_path,
                 const std::string_view &src_path)
         {
@@ -1745,6 +1752,7 @@ namespace avs {
             auto real_path = std::filesystem::absolute(src_path, err);
 
             if (err) {
+                avs_dir_err(real_path);
                 log_warning("avs-core", "failed to resolve '{}' path: {}", avs_path, err.message());
                 return;
             }
@@ -1754,7 +1762,9 @@ namespace avs {
             if (created) {
                 log_info("avs-core", "created '{}' at '{}'", avs_path, real_path.string());
             }
+
             if (err) {
+                avs_dir_err(real_path);
                 log_warning("avs-core", "failed to create '{}' folder at '{}': {}",
                         avs_path,
                         real_path.string(),
@@ -1815,7 +1825,7 @@ namespace avs {
                 return;
             }
 
-            create_dir(avs_path, device_path);
+            create_avs_dir(avs_path, device_path);
         }
 
         static void create_avs_config_fs_table(
@@ -1870,7 +1880,7 @@ namespace avs {
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                create_dir(dst_path, src_path);
+                create_avs_dir(dst_path, src_path);
             } while ((vfs_node = property_node_traversal(vfs_node, TRAVERSE_NEXT_SEARCH_RESULT)));
         }
 
diff --git a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp
index 41b3dc7..c5aaa33 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp
+++ b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #include "signal.h"
 
 #include <exception>
-#include <string>
 
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <dbghelp.h>
 
+#include "avs/core.h"
 #include "acio/acio.h"
 #include "external/stackwalker/stackwalker.h"
 #include "hooks/libraryhook.h"
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ namespace launcher::signal {
 
     // states
     bool SUPERSTEP_SOUND_ERROR = false;
+    bool AVS_DIR_CREATION_FAILURE = false;
+    std::string AVS_SRC_PATH;
 }
 
 #define V(variant) case variant: return #variant
@@ -121,6 +123,18 @@ static LONG WINAPI TopLevelExceptionFilter(struct _EXCEPTION_POINTERS *Exception
             log_warning("signal", "    fix your audio device, double check your audio options/patches, and try again");
         }
 
+        if (launcher::signal::AVS_DIR_CREATION_FAILURE) {
+            log_warning("signal",
+                "AVS filesystem initialization failure was previously detected during boot!");
+            log_warning("signal",
+                "    ERROR: directory could not be created: {}",
+                launcher::signal::AVS_SRC_PATH.c_str());
+            log_warning("signal",
+                "    this crash may have been caused by bad <mounttable> contents in {}",
+                avs::core::CFG_PATH.c_str());
+            log_warning("signal", "    fix the XML file and try again");
+        }
+
         // walk the exception chain
         struct _EXCEPTION_RECORD *record_cause = ExceptionRecord->ExceptionRecord;
         while (record_cause != nullptr) {
diff --git a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h
index 5d7ff09..9405794 100644
--- a/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h
+++ b/src/spice2x/launcher/signal.h
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <string>
+
 namespace launcher::signal {
 
     // settings
     extern bool DISABLE;
     extern bool USE_VEH_WORKAROUND;
     extern bool SUPERSTEP_SOUND_ERROR;
+    extern bool AVS_DIR_CREATION_FAILURE;
+    extern std::string AVS_XML_PATH;
+    extern std::string AVS_SRC_PATH;
 
     //void print_stacktrace();
     void attach();