diff --git a/src/repository/backup.rs b/src/repository/backup.rs
index 56f0513..227be97 100644
--- a/src/repository/backup.rs
+++ b/src/repository/backup.rs
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ impl Repository {
         if self.dirty {
             return Err(RepositoryError::Dirty)
         }
-        self.dirty = true;
+        try!(self.set_dirty());
         let reference_inode = reference.and_then(|b| self.get_inode(&b.root).ok());
         let mut backup = Backup::default();
         backup.config = self.config.clone();
diff --git a/src/repository/info.rs b/src/repository/info.rs
index ec503ec..439550f 100644
--- a/src/repository/info.rs
+++ b/src/repository/info.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ impl Repository {
         if self.dirty {
             return Err(RepositoryError::Dirty)
         }
-        self.dirty = true;
+        try!(self.set_dirty());
         let mut usage = HashMap::new();
         for (id, bundle) in self.bundle_map.bundles() {
             let bundle = try!(self.bundles.get_bundle_info(&bundle).ok_or_else(|| IntegrityError::MissingBundle(bundle)));
diff --git a/src/repository/mod.rs b/src/repository/mod.rs
index 0f8c5e1..9fee7af 100644
--- a/src/repository/mod.rs
+++ b/src/repository/mod.rs
@@ -217,6 +217,15 @@ impl Repository {
         id
     }
 
+    pub fn set_dirty(&mut self) -> Result<(), RepositoryError> {
+        self.dirty = true;
+        let dirtyfile = self.layout.dirtyfile_path();
+        if !dirtyfile.exists() {
+            try!(File::create(&dirtyfile));
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     pub fn flush(&mut self) -> Result<(), RepositoryError> {
         let dirtyfile = self.layout.dirtyfile_path();
         if self.dirty && !dirtyfile.exists() {
diff --git a/src/repository/tarfile.rs b/src/repository/tarfile.rs
index de3480f..2944bd1 100644
--- a/src/repository/tarfile.rs
+++ b/src/repository/tarfile.rs
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ impl Repository {
         if self.dirty {
             return Err(RepositoryError::Dirty)
         }
-        self.dirty = true;
+        try!(self.set_dirty());
         let mut backup = Backup::default();
         backup.config = self.config.clone();
         backup.host = get_hostname().unwrap_or_else(|_| "".to_string());
diff --git a/src/repository/vacuum.rs b/src/repository/vacuum.rs
index d428a65..73338f6 100644
--- a/src/repository/vacuum.rs
+++ b/src/repository/vacuum.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ impl Repository {
         if self.dirty {
             return Err(RepositoryError::Dirty)
         }
-        self.dirty = true;
+        try!(self.set_dirty());
         info!("Analyzing chunk usage");
         let usage = try!(self.analyze_usage());
         let mut data_total = 0;