diff --git a/TuneRipper.Api/Services/ISessionService.cs b/TuneRipper.Api/Services/ISessionService.cs
index 4f92364..1695b04 100644
--- a/TuneRipper.Api/Services/ISessionService.cs
+++ b/TuneRipper.Api/Services/ISessionService.cs
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ public interface ISessionService
     bool IsValidSession(string sessionId);
     void CleanupExpiredSessions();
     string GetSessionDownloadsPath(string sessionId);
+    void EnsureSessionDirectoryExists(string sessionId);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/TuneRipper.Api/Services/SessionService.cs b/TuneRipper.Api/Services/SessionService.cs
index 84257d0..6a99063 100644
--- a/TuneRipper.Api/Services/SessionService.cs
+++ b/TuneRipper.Api/Services/SessionService.cs
@@ -26,15 +26,18 @@ public class SessionService : ISessionService
         );
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Creates a new session with a unique ID. 
+    /// Note: The session directory is NOT created at this point - it will be created 
+    /// lazily when the first MP3 file is saved using EnsureSessionDirectoryExists().
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>The unique session ID</returns>
     public string CreateSession()
     {
         var sessionId = Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N")[..16]; // Use first 16 characters for shorter IDs
         _sessions[sessionId] = DateTime.UtcNow;
         
-        // Ensure session directory exists
-        var sessionPath = GetSessionDownloadsPath(sessionId);
-        Directory.CreateDirectory(sessionPath);
-        
+        // Don't create directory here - it will be created when first MP3 is saved
         _logger.LogInformation("Created new session: {SessionId}", sessionId);
         return sessionId;
     }
@@ -83,7 +86,7 @@ public class SessionService : ISessionService
             {
                 if (_sessions.TryRemove(sessionId, out _))
                 {
-                    // Clean up session directory
+                    // Clean up session directory if it exists
                     var sessionPath = GetSessionDownloadsPath(sessionId);
                     if (Directory.Exists(sessionPath))
                     {
@@ -97,6 +100,10 @@ public class SessionService : ISessionService
                             _logger.LogWarning(ex, "Failed to delete expired session directory: {SessionId}", sessionId);
                         }
                     }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        _logger.LogDebug("No directory to clean up for expired session: {SessionId} (no MP3 files were downloaded)", sessionId);
+                    }
                 }
             }
 
@@ -117,6 +124,34 @@ public class SessionService : ISessionService
         return Path.Combine(downloadsRoot, sessionId);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Ensures that the session directory exists, creating it if necessary.
+    /// This method should be called just before saving the first MP3 file in a session.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="sessionId">The session ID</param>
+    /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Thrown when sessionId is null or empty</exception>
+    /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">Thrown when session is invalid or expired</exception>
+    public void EnsureSessionDirectoryExists(string sessionId)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(sessionId))
+        {
+            throw new ArgumentException("Session ID cannot be null or empty", nameof(sessionId));
+        }
+
+        if (!IsValidSession(sessionId))
+        {
+            throw new InvalidOperationException($"Invalid session ID: {sessionId}");
+        }
+
+        var sessionPath = GetSessionDownloadsPath(sessionId);
+        
+        if (!Directory.Exists(sessionPath))
+        {
+            Directory.CreateDirectory(sessionPath);
+            _logger.LogInformation("Created session directory for session: {SessionId} at {Path}", sessionId, sessionPath);
+        }
+    }
+
     public void Dispose()
     {
         _cleanupTimer?.Dispose();
diff --git a/TuneRipper.Api/Services/VideoService.cs b/TuneRipper.Api/Services/VideoService.cs
index caba0ce..a2dd0a5 100644
--- a/TuneRipper.Api/Services/VideoService.cs
+++ b/TuneRipper.Api/Services/VideoService.cs
@@ -104,9 +104,11 @@ public class VideoService : IVideoService
                 throw new FileNotFoundException($"yt-dlp.exe not found at {ytDlpPath}");
             }
 
-            // Get session-specific download directory
+            // Ensure session directory exists only when we're about to save the first MP3 file
+            _sessionService.EnsureSessionDirectoryExists(sessionId);
+            
+            // Get session-specific download directory (now guaranteed to exist)
             var downloadDir = _sessionService.GetSessionDownloadsPath(sessionId);
-            Directory.CreateDirectory(downloadDir);
 
             // Get video details first for better filename
             var videoDetails = await GetVideoDetailsAsync(url);