diff --git a/scripts/utils.sh b/scripts/utils.sh
index 5d8455bb68..06fc897912 100644
--- a/scripts/utils.sh
+++ b/scripts/utils.sh
@@ -31,3 +31,71 @@ function check_exit_code {
         fatal_error "${fail_msg}"
     fi
 }
+
+# Reimplement 'mkdir -p' with reporting on where permissions break down
+function create_directory_structure() {
+  # Ensure we are given a single path argument
+  if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
+    echo "Function requires a single (relative or absolute) path argument" >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  # set a persistent variable that knows the full structure
+  # (i.e., retains the value upon recursive calls)
+  full_structure="${full_structure:="$1"}"
+
+  local directory_structure="$1"
+
+  # Check if directory exists and is writeable
+  if [ -d "${directory_structure}" ]; then
+    if [ "${directory_structure}" = "${full_structure}" ]; then
+        # release our (unneeded) global variable
+        unset full_structure
+    fi
+    if [ -w "${directory_structure}" ]; then
+      # Nothing to be done
+      return 0
+    else
+      echo "Directory ${directory_structure} exists but is not writeable" >&2
+      return 1
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  local directory_structure_parent=$(dirname "${directory_structure}")
+
+  # If the parent doesn't exist we need to create it
+  if [ ! -d "${directory_structure_parent}" ]; then
+    # Create the parent via a recursive call to this function
+    # (if this doesn't succeed we need to return the error code)
+    if ! create_directory_structure "${directory_structure_parent}"; then
+      if [ "${directory_structure}" = "${full_structure}" ]; then
+        # release our (unneeded) global variable
+        unset full_structure
+      fi
+      return 1
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  # Check the parent is writeable, and create the new subdir
+  if [ -w "${directory_structure_parent}" ]; then
+    if [ "${directory_structure}" = "${full_structure}" ]; then
+      # release our (unneeded) global variable
+      unset full_structure
+    fi
+    if ! mkdir "${directory_structure}"; then
+      echo "'mkdir ${directory_structure}' failed for an unknown reason!" >&2
+      return 1
+    else
+      # Success!
+      return 0
+    fi
+  else
+    echo "Attempt to create ${full_structure} failed," \
+      "${directory_structure_parent} exists but you don't have write permissions." >&2
+    if [ "${directory_structure}" = "${full_structure}" ]; then
+      # release our global variable
+      unset full_structure
+    fi
+    return 1
+  fi
+}