diff --git a/lib/core/common.py b/lib/core/common.py
index ac453a046..317893215 100755
--- a/lib/core/common.py
+++ b/lib/core/common.py
@@ -1045,9 +1045,6 @@ def setPaths():
     paths.SQLMAP_XML_BANNER_PATH = os.path.join(paths.SQLMAP_XML_PATH, "banner")
     paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH = paths.get("SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH", os.path.join(paths.SQLMAP_ROOT_PATH, "output"))
 
-    if not os.access(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, os.W_OK):
-        paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".sqlmap", "output")
-
     paths.SQLMAP_DUMP_PATH = os.path.join(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, "%s", "dump")
     paths.SQLMAP_FILES_PATH = os.path.join(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, "%s", "files")
 
diff --git a/lib/core/target.py b/lib/core/target.py
index b2c0a8717..d4dddc393 100644
--- a/lib/core/target.py
+++ b/lib/core/target.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import time
 import urlparse
 
 from lib.core.common import Backend
+from lib.core.common import getUnicode
 from lib.core.common import hashDBRetrieve
 from lib.core.common import intersect
 from lib.core.common import paramToDict
@@ -513,15 +514,22 @@ def _createTargetDirs():
         try:
             os.makedirs(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, 0755)
         except OSError, ex:
-            tempDir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="sqlmapoutput")
-            warnMsg = "unable to create default root output directory "
-            warnMsg += "'%s' (%s). " % (paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, ex)
-            warnMsg += "Using temporary directory '%s' instead" % tempDir
-            logger.warn(warnMsg)
+            paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".sqlmap", "output")
+            try:
+                if not os.path.isdir(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH):
+                    os.makedirs(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, 0755)
+                warnMsg = "using '%s' as the output directory" % paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH
+                logger.warn(warnMsg)
+            except OSError, ex:    
+                tempDir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="sqlmapoutput")
+                warnMsg = "unable to create regular output directory "
+                warnMsg += "'%s' (%s). " % (paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, ex)
+                warnMsg += "Using temporary directory '%s' instead" % tempDir
+                logger.warn(warnMsg)
 
-            paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH = tempDir
+                paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH = tempDir
 
-    conf.outputPath = os.path.join(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, conf.hostname)
+    conf.outputPath = os.path.join(paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH, getUnicode(conf.hostname))
 
     if not os.path.isdir(conf.outputPath):
         try:
diff --git a/sqlmap.py b/sqlmap.py
index 0e81ef537..5a889d5f9 100755
--- a/sqlmap.py
+++ b/sqlmap.py
@@ -83,10 +83,6 @@ def main():
         dataToStdout("[!] legal disclaimer: %s\n\n" % LEGAL_DISCLAIMER, forceOutput=True)
         dataToStdout("[*] starting at %s\n\n" % time.strftime("%X"), forceOutput=True)
 
-        if ".sqlmap" in paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH:
-            warnMsg = "using '%s' as the output directory" % paths.SQLMAP_OUTPUT_PATH
-            logger.warn(warnMsg)
-
         init()
 
         if conf.profile: