diff --git a/SConscript b/SConscript
index ebb60b3..3054a82 100644
--- a/SConscript
+++ b/SConscript
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ def _wrap_default(default):
             default(arg)
     return _wrapped
 
+def _get_fallback_cache_dir() -> str:
+    return Dir('#cache').abspath
+
 def _find_system_cache_dir() -> str:
     if os.name == 'posix':
         if os.environ.get('XDG_CACHE_HOME'):
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ def _find_system_cache_dir() -> str:
         # TODO: just guessing
         return os.environ['LocalAppData']
     # fallback
-    return Dir('#cache').abspath
+    return _get_fallback_cache_dir()
 
 Import('config')
 
@@ -169,6 +172,13 @@ env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'] = os.path.join(_find_system_cache_dir(), 'spp_cache')
 env['CLONE_DIR'] = os.path.join(env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'], 'cloned')
 
 print(f'Detected system cache directory: {env["SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR"]}')
+try:
+    os.makedirs(env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'], exist_ok=True)
+except:
+    env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'] = os.path.join(_get_fallback_cache_dir(), 'spp_cache')
+    env['CLONE_DIR'] = os.path.join(env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'], 'cloned')
+    print(f'Creating spp cache dir failed, using fallback: {env["SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR"]}.')
+    os.makedirs(env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'], exist_ok=True) # no more safeguards!
 
 # allow compiling to variant directories (each gets their own bin/lib/cache dirs)
 if variant: