diff --git a/lib/database.cc b/lib/database.cc
index 07f186ed..f8c4a7d1 100644
--- a/lib/database.cc
+++ b/lib/database.cc
@@ -955,8 +955,8 @@ notmuch_database_upgrade (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
 		mtime = Xapian::sortable_unserialise (
 		    document.get_value (NOTMUCH_VALUE_TIMESTAMP));
 
-		directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch,
-							    term.c_str() + 10);
+		directory = _notmuch_directory_create (notmuch, term.c_str() + 10,
+						       &status);
 		notmuch_directory_set_mtime (directory, mtime);
 		notmuch_directory_destroy (directory);
 	    }
@@ -1304,20 +1304,30 @@ _notmuch_database_relative_path (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
     return relative;
 }
 
-notmuch_directory_t *
+notmuch_status_t
 notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
-				const char *path)
+				const char *path,
+				notmuch_directory_t **directory)
 {
     notmuch_status_t status;
 
+    if (directory == NULL)
+	return NOTMUCH_STATUS_NULL_POINTER;
+    *directory = NULL;
+
+    /* XXX Handle read-only databases properly */
+    if (notmuch->mode == NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_ONLY)
+	return NOTMUCH_STATUS_READ_ONLY_DATABASE;
+
     try {
-	return _notmuch_directory_create (notmuch, path, &status);
+	*directory = _notmuch_directory_create (notmuch, path, &status);
     } catch (const Xapian::Error &error) {
 	fprintf (stderr, "A Xapian exception occurred getting directory: %s.\n",
 		 error.get_msg().c_str());
 	notmuch->exception_reported = TRUE;
-	return NULL;
+	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION;
     }
+    return status;
 }
 
 /* Allocate a document ID that satisfies the following criteria:
diff --git a/lib/notmuch.h b/lib/notmuch.h
index e6e5cc2e..bbb17e4a 100644
--- a/lib/notmuch.h
+++ b/lib/notmuch.h
@@ -300,11 +300,28 @@ notmuch_database_end_atomic (notmuch_database_t *notmuch);
  * (see notmuch_database_get_path), or else should be an absolute path
  * with initial components that match the path of 'database'.
  *
- * Can return NULL if a Xapian exception occurs.
+ * Note: Currently this will create the directory object if it doesn't
+ * exist.  In the future, when a directory object does not exist this
+ * will return NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS and set *directory to NULL.
+ * Callers should be prepared for this.
+ *
+ * Return value:
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS: Successfully retrieved directory.
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_NULL_POINTER: The given 'directory' argument is NULL.
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION: A Xapian exception occurred;
+ *	directory not retrieved.
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_READ_ONLY_DATABASE: Database was opened in read-only
+ *	mode so the directory cannot be created (this case will be
+ *	removed in the future).
  */
-notmuch_directory_t *
+notmuch_status_t
 notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch_database_t *database,
-				const char *path);
+				const char *path,
+				notmuch_directory_t **directory);
 
 /* Add a new message to the given notmuch database or associate an
  * additional filename with an existing message.
diff --git a/notmuch-new.c b/notmuch-new.c
index cb720cc2..a3a8bece 100644
--- a/notmuch-new.c
+++ b/notmuch-new.c
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ add_files_recursive (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
     notmuch_status_t status, ret = NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
     notmuch_message_t *message = NULL;
     struct dirent **fs_entries = NULL;
-    int i, num_fs_entries;
+    int i, num_fs_entries = 0;
     notmuch_directory_t *directory;
     notmuch_filenames_t *db_files = NULL;
     notmuch_filenames_t *db_subdirs = NULL;
@@ -274,8 +274,12 @@ add_files_recursive (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
 
     fs_mtime = st.st_mtime;
 
-    directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path);
-    db_mtime = notmuch_directory_get_mtime (directory);
+    status = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path, &directory);
+    if (status) {
+	ret = status;
+	goto DONE;
+    }
+    db_mtime = directory ? notmuch_directory_get_mtime (directory) : 0;
 
     new_directory = db_mtime ? FALSE : TRUE;
 
@@ -295,7 +299,7 @@ add_files_recursive (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
      * by a new out-argument, or by recording this information and
      * providing an accessor.
      */
-    if (new_directory)
+    if (new_directory && directory)
 	notmuch_directory_set_mtime (directory, -1);
 
     /* If the database knows about this directory, then we sort based
@@ -810,7 +814,9 @@ _remove_directory (void *ctx,
     notmuch_filenames_t *files, *subdirs;
     char *absolute;
 
-    directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path);
+    status = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path, &directory);
+    if (status || !directory)
+	return status;
 
     for (files = notmuch_directory_get_child_files (directory);
 	 notmuch_filenames_valid (files);
@@ -981,9 +987,10 @@ notmuch_new_command (void *ctx, int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     for (f = add_files_state.directory_mtimes->head; f && !interrupted; f = f->next) {
+	notmuch_status_t status;
 	notmuch_directory_t *directory;
-	directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, f->filename);
-	if (directory) {
+	status = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, f->filename, &directory);
+	if (status == NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS && directory) {
 	    notmuch_directory_set_mtime (directory, f->mtime);
 	    notmuch_directory_destroy (directory);
 	}