diff --git a/releasenotes.md b/releasenotes.md
index 6c2475e26..9cb6d661c 100644
--- a/releasenotes.md
+++ b/releasenotes.md
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 - @tag didn't work with members #2236.
 - Assert comparing untyped lists #2240.
 - Fix bugs relating to optional interface addr-of #2244.
+- Compiler null pointer when building a static-lib with -o somedir/... #2246
 
 ### Stdlib changes
 - Deprecate `String.is_zstr` and `String.quick_zstr` #2188.
diff --git a/src/compiler/compiler.c b/src/compiler/compiler.c
index ab0399bd2..077bcc15b 100644
--- a/src/compiler/compiler.c
+++ b/src/compiler/compiler.c
@@ -676,17 +676,7 @@ void compiler_compile(void)
 			create_output_dir(compiler.build.output_dir);
 			output_exe = file_append_path(compiler.build.output_dir, output_exe);
 		}
-		char *dir_path = file_get_dir(output_exe);
-		if (dir_path && strlen(dir_path) && !file_is_dir(dir_path))
-		{
-			error_exit("Can't create '%s', the directory '%s' could not be found.", output_exe, dir_path);
-		}
-
-		if (file_is_dir(output_exe))
-		{
-			error_exit("Cannot create exe with the name '%s' - there is already a directory with that name.", output_exe);
-		}
-
+		file_create_folders(output_exe);
 		bool system_linker_available = link_libc() && compiler.platform.os != OS_TYPE_WIN32;
 		bool use_system_linker = system_linker_available && compiler.build.arch_os_target == default_target;
 		switch (compiler.build.linker_type)
@@ -786,15 +776,7 @@ void compiler_compile(void)
 			create_output_dir(compiler.build.output_dir);
 			output_static = file_append_path(compiler.build.output_dir, output_static);
 		}
-		char *dir_path = file_get_dir(output_static);
-		if (dir_path && strlen(dir_path) && !file_is_dir(dir_path))
-		{
-			error_exit("Can't create '%s', the directory '%s' could not be found.", output_static, dir_path);
-		}
-		if (file_is_dir(output_static))
-		{
-			error_exit("Cannot create a static library with the name '%s' - there is already a directory with that name.", output_exe);
-		}
+		file_create_folders(output_static);
 		if (!static_lib_linker(output_static, obj_files, output_file_count))
 		{
 			error_exit("Failed to produce static library '%s'.", output_static);
@@ -811,15 +793,7 @@ void compiler_compile(void)
 			create_output_dir(compiler.build.output_dir);
 			output_dynamic = file_append_path(compiler.build.output_dir, output_dynamic);
 		}
-		char *dir_path = file_get_dir(output_dynamic);
-		if (dir_path && strlen(dir_path) && !file_is_dir(dir_path))
-		{
-			error_exit("Can't create '%s', the directory '%s' could not be found.", output_dynamic, dir_path);
-		}
-		if (file_is_dir(output_dynamic))
-		{
-			error_exit("Cannot create a dynamic library with the name '%s' - there is already a directory with that name.", output_exe);
-		}
+		file_create_folders(output_dynamic);
 		if (!dynamic_lib_linker(output_dynamic, obj_files, output_file_count))
 		{
 			error_exit("Failed to produce dynamic library '%s'.", output_dynamic);
diff --git a/src/compiler/headers.c b/src/compiler/headers.c
index 15fe2bea3..d32009974 100644
--- a/src/compiler/headers.c
+++ b/src/compiler/headers.c
@@ -774,7 +774,12 @@ void header_gen(Module **modules, unsigned module_count)
 	{
 		filename = str_printf("%s.h", name);
 	}
+	file_create_folders(filename);
 	FILE *file = fopen(filename, "w");
+	if (!file)
+	{
+		error_exit("Failed to open header file %s", filename);
+	}
 	HeaderContext context = { .file = file, .gen_def = &table1, .gen_decl = &table2 };
 	HeaderContext *c = &context;
 	PRINTF("#include <stdint.h>\n");
diff --git a/src/utils/errors.c b/src/utils/errors.c
index abaf3f430..f2eef54f2 100644
--- a/src/utils/errors.c
+++ b/src/utils/errors.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ NORETURN void error_exit(const char *format, ...)
 	va_list arglist;
 	va_start(arglist, format);
 	vfprintf(stderr, format, arglist);
-	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "\n"); // NOLINT
 	va_end(arglist);
 	exit_compiler(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/file_utils.c b/src/utils/file_utils.c
index d742c024e..fd3be897c 100644
--- a/src/utils/file_utils.c
+++ b/src/utils/file_utils.c
@@ -440,6 +440,28 @@ DONE:;
 	return lib_path;
 }
 
+void file_create_folders(const char *name)
+{
+	scratch_buffer_clear();
+	scratch_buffer_append(name);
+	char *path = scratch_buffer_to_string();
+	char *dir;
+	if (!file_namesplit(path, NULL, &dir))
+	{
+		error_exit("Failed to split %s", filename);
+	}
+	if (str_eq(dir, ".") || dir[0] == '\0') return;
+	if (!file_exists(dir)) dir_make_recursive(dir);
+	if (!file_exists(dir))
+	{
+		error_exit("Failed to create directory %s", dir);
+	}
+	if (!file_is_dir(dir))
+	{
+		error_exit("File %s is not a directory", dir);
+	}
+}
+
 char *file_get_dir(const char *full_path)
 {
 	char *dir = NULL;
diff --git a/src/utils/lib.h b/src/utils/lib.h
index 117ba34f3..4925c5e82 100644
--- a/src/utils/lib.h
+++ b/src/utils/lib.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ char *file_read_all(const char *path, size_t *return_size);
 bool file_write_all(const char *path, const char *data, size_t len);
 size_t file_clean_buffer(char *buffer, const char *path, size_t file_size);
 char *file_get_dir(const char *full_path);
+void file_create_folders(const char *name);
 void file_get_dir_and_filename_from_full(const char *full_path, char **filename, char **dir_path);
 void file_find_top_dir();
 bool file_has_suffix_in_list(const char *file_name, int name_len, const char **suffix_list, int suffix_count);