diff --git a/src/index/io.rs b/src/index/io.rs
index a4052d8..dde0944 100644
--- a/src/index/io.rs
+++ b/src/index/io.rs
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ impl Index {
 
     pub fn save(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         let lock_id = Uuid::new_v4();
-        let lock = Lock::new(&self.index_directory())?;
+        let lock = Lock::new(&self.index_directory()?)?;
         if self.index_file_path().exists() {
-            let index = Index::load_from_file(&Index::index_file_path_for_repository_path(&self.index_directory()))?;
+            let index = Index::load_from_file(&Index::index_file_path_for_repository_path(&self.index_directory()?))?;
             self.merge_items_by_file_id(index.items_by_file_id);
             self.merge_newest_items(index.newest_items_by_source_path);
             self.version = max(self.version.clone(), index.version);
@@ -52,7 +52,12 @@ impl Index {
     where
         T: AsRef<Path>,
     {
-        fs::create_dir_all(path.as_ref().parent().unwrap()).context("create index directory")?;
+        fs::create_dir_all(
+            path.as_ref()
+                .parent()
+                .ok_or(anyhow!("cannot compute parent path for {}", path.as_ref().to_string_lossy()))?,
+        )
+        .context("create index directory")?;
 
         let file = AtomicFile::new(&path, AllowOverwrite);
 
@@ -99,7 +104,14 @@ impl Index {
         path.join("index")
     }
 
-    fn index_directory(&self) -> PathBuf {
-        self.index_file_path().parent().unwrap().to_path_buf()
+    fn index_directory(&self) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+        Ok(self
+            .index_file_path()
+            .parent()
+            .ok_or(anyhow!(
+                "cannot compute parent path for {}",
+                self.index_file_path().to_string_lossy()
+            ))?
+            .to_path_buf())
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/repository.rs b/src/repository.rs
index 02a4291..0b7bfe7 100644
--- a/src/repository.rs
+++ b/src/repository.rs
@@ -113,7 +113,10 @@ impl<'a> Repository<'a> {
         let destination_path = Path::new(&destination_path);
 
         if source_path.is_file() {
-            let parent = destination_path.parent().unwrap();
+            let parent = destination_path.parent().ok_or(anyhow!(
+                "cannot compute parent path for {}",
+                &destination_path.to_string_lossy()
+            ))?;
             fs::create_dir_all(parent)?;
             fs::copy(source_path, destination_path)?;
             let relative_path = destination_path.strip_prefix(self.path)?;
diff --git a/src/repository_item.rs b/src/repository_item.rs
index 23f9d83..86df6d7 100644
--- a/src/repository_item.rs
+++ b/src/repository_item.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ impl RepositoryItem {
         if !target_path.is_absolute() {
             return Err(anyhow!("path to store not absolute"));
         }
-        let parent = target_path.parent().unwrap();
+        let parent = target_path
+            .parent()
+            .ok_or(anyhow!("cannot compute parent path for {}", &target_path.to_string_lossy()))?;
         if !parent.exists() {
             fs::create_dir_all(parent)?;
         }