diff --git a/libs/plugins/core.write_cache_file.php b/libs/plugins/core.write_cache_file.php
index 9c37bf13..a99555e6 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/core.write_cache_file.php
+++ b/libs/plugins/core.write_cache_file.php
@@ -20,6 +20,17 @@
  
 function smarty_core_write_cache_file($params, &$this)
 {
+	
+	if(!@is_writable($this->cache_dir)) {
+		// cache_dir not writable, see if it exists
+		if(!@is_dir($this->cache_dir)) {
+			$this->trigger_error('the $cache_dir \'' . $this->cache_dir . '\' does not exist, or is not a directory.', E_USER_ERROR);
+			return false;			
+		}
+		$this->trigger_error('unable to write to $cache_dir \'' . realpath($this->cache_dir) . '\'. Be sure $cache_dir is writable by the web server user.', E_USER_ERROR);
+		return false;
+	}	
+	
     // put timestamp in cache header
     $this->_cache_info['timestamp'] = time();
     if ($this->cache_lifetime > -1){
diff --git a/libs/plugins/core.write_compiled_template.php b/libs/plugins/core.write_compiled_template.php
index b599af20..e5d983ff 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/core.write_compiled_template.php
+++ b/libs/plugins/core.write_compiled_template.php
@@ -15,8 +15,18 @@
  */    
 function smarty_core_write_compiled_template($params, &$this)
 {
+	if(!@is_writable($this->compile_dir)) {
+		// compile_dir not writable, see if it exists
+		if(!@is_dir($this->compile_dir)) {
+			$this->trigger_error('the $compile_dir \'' . $this->compile_dir . '\' does not exist, or is not a directory.', E_USER_ERROR);
+			return false;			
+		}
+		$this->trigger_error('unable to write to $compile_dir \'' . realpath($this->compile_dir) . '\'. Be sure $compile_dir is writable by the web server user.', E_USER_ERROR);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
 	$_params = array('filename' => $params['compile_path'], 'contents' => $params['template_compiled'], 'create_dirs' => true);
-	$this->_execute_core_function('write_file', $_params);		
+	$this->_execute_core_function('write_file', $_params);	
     touch($params['compile_path'], $params['template_timestamp']);
     return true;
 }