diff --git a/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/datadirect.cpp b/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/datadirect.cpp
index 1870ff0..84df4c1 100644
--- a/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/datadirect.cpp
+++ b/mythtv/libs/libmythtv/datadirect.cpp
@@ -1008,6 +1008,14 @@ bool DataDirectProcessor::DDPost(QString    ddurl,        QString   &inputFile,
 
     if (inputFile.isEmpty()) {
         inputFile = QString("/tmp/mythtv_ddp_data");
+        if (!QFileInfo(inputFile).isWritable())
+        {
+            LOG(VB_GENERAL, LOG_ERR, LOC +
+                QString("Cache file: '%1' is not writeable")
+                    .arg(inputFile));
+            err_txt = QString("Abort. Download not attempted");
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
     QHash<QByteArray, QByteArray> headers;
