diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/serialization/CodeGenerationSettingsConverter.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/serialization/CodeGenerationSettingsConverter.java
index b419617f14..9a5fb56b93 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/serialization/CodeGenerationSettingsConverter.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/serialization/CodeGenerationSettingsConverter.java
@@ -9,11 +9,18 @@
 import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.reflection.ReflectionConverter;
 import com.thoughtworks.xstream.io.HierarchicalStreamReader;
 
+import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
 /**
  * XStream converter for {@link edu.wpi.grip.core.settings.CodeGenerationSettings}.
  */
 public class CodeGenerationSettingsConverter extends ReflectionConverter {
 
+  private static final Logger logger =
+      Logger.getLogger(CodeGenerationSettingsConverter.class.getName());
+
   private final EventBus eventBus;
 
   @Inject
@@ -28,6 +35,12 @@ public CodeGenerationSettingsConverter(Project project, EventBus eventBus) {
   public CodeGenerationSettings unmarshal(HierarchicalStreamReader reader,
                                           UnmarshallingContext context) {
     CodeGenerationSettings settings = (CodeGenerationSettings) super.unmarshal(reader, context);
+    if (!Files.isDirectory(Paths.get(settings.getSaveDir()))) {
+      logger.warning("Save dir '" + settings.getSaveDir() + "' does not exist; using default");
+      settings = CodeGenerationSettings.builder(settings)
+          .saveDir(CodeGenerationSettings.DEFAULT_SETTINGS.getSaveDir())
+          .build();
+    }
     eventBus.post(new CodeGenerationSettingsChangedEvent(settings));
     return settings;
   }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/settings/CodeGenerationSettings.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/settings/CodeGenerationSettings.java
index 387a28224e..1f3626dbaa 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/settings/CodeGenerationSettings.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/core/settings/CodeGenerationSettings.java
@@ -106,6 +106,22 @@ public static Builder builder() {
     return new Builder();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Creates a builder with defaults from the given settings.
+   *
+   * @param defaultSettings the default settings for the builder to use
+   * @return a settings builder
+   */
+  public static Builder builder(CodeGenerationSettings defaultSettings) {
+    return new Builder()
+        .language(defaultSettings.getLanguage())
+        .className(defaultSettings.getClassName())
+        .implementVisionPipeline(defaultSettings.shouldImplementWpilibPipeline())
+        .saveDir(defaultSettings.getSaveDir())
+        .packageName(defaultSettings.getPackageName())
+        .moduleName(defaultSettings.getModuleName());
+  }
+
   public static final class Builder {
 
     private String language;
diff --git a/ui/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/ui/codegeneration/CodeGenerationOptionsController.java b/ui/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/ui/codegeneration/CodeGenerationOptionsController.java
index b853a60a13..cfad2cce0f 100644
--- a/ui/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/ui/codegeneration/CodeGenerationOptionsController.java
+++ b/ui/src/main/java/edu/wpi/grip/ui/codegeneration/CodeGenerationOptionsController.java
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 import org.bytedeco.javacpp.opencv_core.Mat;
 
 import java.io.File;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import javafx.application.Platform;
 import javafx.collections.FXCollections;
@@ -33,6 +35,9 @@
  */
 public class CodeGenerationOptionsController {
 
+  private static final Logger logger =
+      Logger.getLogger(CodeGenerationOptionsController.class.getName());
+
   @Inject
   private SettingsProvider settingsProvider;
   @Inject
@@ -188,6 +193,10 @@ private void loadPythonControls() {
   private void browseForSave() {
     DirectoryChooser dc = new DirectoryChooser();
     File destDir = new File(settingsProvider.getCodeGenerationSettings().getSaveDir());
+    if (!Files.isDirectory(destDir.toPath())) {
+      logger.warning("Loaded save directory does not exist, setting to default.");
+      destDir = new File(CodeGenerationSettings.DEFAULT_SETTINGS.getSaveDir());
+    }
     dc.setInitialDirectory(destDir);
     dc.setTitle("Choose save location");
     File save = dc.showDialog(optionsGrid.getScene().getWindow());