diff --git a/server/00checkStartup.js b/server/00checkStartup.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8315237d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/00checkStartup.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+var fs = require('fs');
+
+let error = false
+
+if (!process.env.WRITABLE_PATH) {
+  console.error("WRITABLE_PATH environment variable missing and/or unset, please configure !");
+  error = true;
+} else {
+  try {
+    fs.accessSync(process.env.WRITABLE_PATH, fs.constants.W_OK);
+  } catch (err) {
+    error = true;
+    console.error("can't write to " + process.env.WRITABLE_PATH, err);
+    console.error("the path of WRITABLE_PATH (" + process.env.WRITABLE_PATH + ") must be writable !!!");
+  }
+}
+
+if (error) {
+  console.error("Stopping Wekan");
+  console.error("Wekan isn't runable. Please resolve the error's above and restart Wekan !");
+  process.exit(1);
+}