diff --git a/source/graphics/MapWriter.cpp b/source/graphics/MapWriter.cpp
index 2072cccbe3..f1015c1044 100644
--- a/source/graphics/MapWriter.cpp
+++ b/source/graphics/MapWriter.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 #include "maths/MathUtil.h"
 #include "maths/NUSpline.h"
+#include "ps/CLogger.h"
 #include "ps/Loader.h"
 #include "ps/Filesystem.h"
 #include "ps/XML/XMLWriter.h"
@@ -63,8 +64,16 @@ void CMapWriter::SaveMap(const VfsPath& pathname, CTerrain* pTerrain,
 	// build necessary data
 	PackMap(packer, pTerrain);
 
-	// write it out
-	packer.Write(pathname);
+	try
+	{
+		// write it out
+		packer.Write(pathname);
+	}
+	catch (PSERROR_File_WriteFailed&)
+	{
+		LOGERROR(L"Failed to write map '%ls'", pathname.string().c_str());
+		return;
+	}
 
 	VfsPath pathnameXML = pathname.ChangeExtension(L".xml");
 	WriteXML(pathnameXML, pWaterMan, pSkyMan, pLightEnv, pCamera, pCinema, pPostproc, pSimulation2);
@@ -170,7 +179,7 @@ void CMapWriter::PackTerrain(CFilePacker& packer, CTerrain* pTerrain)
 		packer.PackString(terrainTextures[i]);
 	
 	// pack tile data
-	packer.PackRaw(&tiles[0],sizeof(STileDesc)*tiles.size());	
+	packer.PackRaw(&tiles[0],sizeof(STileDesc)*tiles.size());
 }
 
 void CMapWriter::WriteXML(const VfsPath& filename,
@@ -444,8 +453,8 @@ void CMapWriter::WriteXML(const VfsPath& filename,
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if (! XML_StoreVFS(g_VFS, filename))
-		DEBUG_WARN_ERR(ERR::LOGIC);	// failed to write map XML file
+	if (!XML_StoreVFS(g_VFS, filename))
+		LOGERROR(L"Failed to write map '%ls'", filename.string().c_str());
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/source/lib/file/io/io.h b/source/lib/file/io/io.h
index e0f68a9423..1500c37d7f 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/io/io.h
+++ b/source/lib/file/io/io.h
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ static inline Status Store(const OsPath& pathname, const void* data, size_t size
 	int oflag = O_WRONLY;
 	if(p.queueDepth != 1)
 		oflag |= O_DIRECT;
-	WARN_RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(file.Open(pathname, oflag));
+	RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(file.Open(pathname, oflag));
 	io::Operation op(file, (void*)data, size);
 
 #if OS_WIN
diff --git a/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp b/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp
index b0551c7a3e..1bb145eca0 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,12 @@ public:
 	{
 		ScopedLock s;
 		VfsDirectory* directory;
-		WARN_RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(vfs_Lookup(pathname, &m_rootDirectory, directory, 0, VFS_LOOKUP_ADD|VFS_LOOKUP_CREATE|VFS_LOOKUP_CREATE_ALWAYS));
+		Status st;
+		st = vfs_Lookup(pathname, &m_rootDirectory, directory, 0, VFS_LOOKUP_ADD|VFS_LOOKUP_CREATE|VFS_LOOKUP_CREATE_ALWAYS);
+		if (st == ERR::FILE_ACCESS)
+			return ERR::FILE_ACCESS;
+
+		WARN_RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(st);
 
 		const PRealDirectory& realDirectory = directory->AssociatedDirectory();
 		const OsPath name = pathname.Filename();
@@ -163,8 +168,8 @@ public:
 			s.~ScopedLock();
 			return CreateFile(pathname, fileContents, size);
 		}
-		else
-			WARN_RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(st);
+
+		WARN_RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(st);
 
 		RealDirectory realDirectory(file->Loader()->Path(), file->Priority(), directory->AssociatedDirectory()->Flags());
 		RETURN_STATUS_IF_ERR(realDirectory.Store(pathname.Filename(), fileContents, size));
diff --git a/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs_lookup.cpp b/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs_lookup.cpp
index 5c99ea73e6..35e414942f 100644
--- a/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs_lookup.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/file/vfs/vfs_lookup.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "lib/external_libraries/suppress_boost_warnings.h"
 
 #include "lib/sysdep/filesystem.h"
+#include "lib/file/file.h"
 #include "lib/file/vfs/vfs.h"	// error codes
 #include "lib/file/vfs/vfs_tree.h"
 #include "lib/file/vfs/vfs_populate.h"
@@ -61,6 +62,9 @@ static Status CreateDirectory(const OsPath& path)
 		return INFO::OK;
 	}
 
+	if (errno == EACCES)
+		return ERR::FILE_ACCESS;
+
 	// unexpected failure
 	debug_printf(L"wmkdir failed with errno=%d\n", errno);
 	DEBUG_WARN_ERR(ERR::LOGIC);
diff --git a/source/ps/FileIo.cpp b/source/ps/FileIo.cpp
index 8eb8d1dab7..e06d339863 100644
--- a/source/ps/FileIo.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/FileIo.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2009 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2013 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "precompiled.h"
 
 #include "FileIo.h"
+#include "ps/CLogger.h"
 #include "ps/Filesystem.h"
 #include "lib/byte_order.h"
 
@@ -65,8 +66,12 @@ void CFilePacker::Write(const VfsPath& filename)
 	m_writeBuffer.Overwrite(&payloadSize_le, sizeof(payloadSize_le), 0+offsetof(FileHeader, payloadSize_le));
 
 	// write out all data (including header)
-	if(g_VFS->CreateFile(filename, m_writeBuffer.Data(), m_writeBuffer.Size()) < 0)
+	const Status st = g_VFS->CreateFile(filename, m_writeBuffer.Data(), m_writeBuffer.Size());
+	if (st < 0)
+	{
+		LOGERROR(L"Failed to write file '%ls' with status '%lld'", filename.string().c_str(), (long long)st);
 		throw PSERROR_File_WriteFailed();
+	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/source/ps/XML/XMLWriter.cpp b/source/ps/XML/XMLWriter.cpp
index 1a8dd80af1..e77ce171ec 100644
--- a/source/ps/XML/XMLWriter.cpp
+++ b/source/ps/XML/XMLWriter.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2011 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2013 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ bool XMLWriter_File::StoreVFS(const PIVFS& vfs, const VfsPath& pathname)
 	Status ret = vfs->CreateFile(pathname, data, size);
 	if (ret < 0)
 	{
-		LOGERROR(L"Error saving XML data through VFS: %lld", (long long)ret);
+		LOGERROR(L"Error saving XML data through VFS: %lld '%ls'", (long long)ret, pathname.string().c_str());
 		return false;
 	}
 	return true;