diff --git a/pym/update/update.py b/pym/update/update.py
index bd398d6..102a67e 100644
--- a/pym/update/update.py
+++ b/pym/update/update.py
@@ -1360,7 +1360,10 @@ class Update(MethodsInterface):
                     for x in self.clVars.Get('cl_update_gpg_keys')]
         if gpg_force == "skip":
             return True
-        gpg = GPG(tempfile.mkdtemp(dir="/var/calculate/tmp/update",
+        gpgtmpdir = "/var/calculate/tmp/update"
+        if not path.exists(gpgtmpdir):
+            makeDirectory(gpgtmpdir)
+        gpg = GPG(tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=gpgtmpdir,
                                    prefix="gpg-"))
         for keyfn in gpg_keys:
             if path.exists(keyfn):