https://issues.apache.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=54719

--- server/main.c
+++ server/main.c
@@ -675,6 +675,21 @@ int main(int argc, const char * const ar
         }
     }
 
+    /* Unless started with non-default configuration file we will ensure that
+     * run time directory exists. This is required by systems where run time
+     * directory is on non-reboot persistent file system).
+     */
+    if (strcmp(confname, SERVER_CONFIG_FILE) == 0) {
+        rv = apr_dir_make_recursive(DEFAULT_REL_RUNTIMEDIR,
+                                    APR_OS_DEFAULT, pconf);
+        if (rv != APR_SUCCESS) {
+            ap_log_error(APLOG_MARK, APLOG_STARTUP |APLOG_ERR,
+                         0, NULL, "could not create runtime directory: %s",
+                         DEFAULT_REL_RUNTIMEDIR);
+            destroy_and_exit_process(process, 1);
+        }
+    }
+
     apr_pool_clear(plog);
 
     if ( ap_run_open_logs(pconf, plog, ptemp, server_conf) != OK) {