diff --git a/ext/cache/sqlite.rs b/ext/cache/sqlite.rs
index 6efceda11e..469e3e51d6 100644
--- a/ext/cache/sqlite.rs
+++ b/ext/cache/sqlite.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use std::time::SystemTime;
 use std::time::UNIX_EPOCH;
 
 use async_trait::async_trait;
+use deno_core::anyhow::Context;
 use deno_core::error::AnyError;
 use deno_core::futures::future::poll_fn;
 use deno_core::parking_lot::Mutex;
@@ -45,7 +46,13 @@ impl SqliteBackedCache {
   pub fn new(cache_storage_dir: PathBuf) -> Result<Self, CacheError> {
     {
       std::fs::create_dir_all(&cache_storage_dir)
-        .expect("failed to create cache dir");
+        .with_context(|| {
+          format!(
+            "Failed to create cache storage directory {}",
+            cache_storage_dir.display()
+          )
+        })
+        .map_err(CacheError::Other)?;
       let path = cache_storage_dir.join("cache_metadata.db");
       let connection = rusqlite::Connection::open(&path).unwrap_or_else(|_| {
         panic!("failed to open cache db at {}", path.display())