diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
index 1d88f85e62..8bf588856c 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.cpp
@@ -290,12 +290,14 @@ void Emulator::Init()
 	// Reload global configuration
 	g_cfg.from_string(fs::file(fs::get_config_dir() + "/config.yml", fs::read + fs::create).to_string());
 
-	// Create directories
+	// Create directories (can be disabled if necessary)
 	const std::string emu_dir = GetEmuDir();
 	const std::string dev_hdd0 = GetHddDir();
 	const std::string dev_hdd1 = fmt::replace_all(g_cfg.vfs.dev_hdd1, "$(EmulatorDir)", emu_dir);
 	const std::string dev_usb = fmt::replace_all(g_cfg.vfs.dev_usb000, "$(EmulatorDir)", emu_dir);
 
+	if (g_cfg.vfs.init_dirs)
+	{
 	fs::create_path(dev_hdd0);
 	fs::create_path(dev_hdd1);
 	fs::create_path(dev_usb);
@@ -314,6 +316,7 @@ void Emulator::Init()
 	fs::create_dir(dev_hdd0 + "savedata/vmc/");
 	fs::create_dir(dev_hdd1 + "cache/");
 	fs::create_dir(dev_hdd1 + "game/");
+	}
 
 	fs::create_path(fs::get_config_dir() + "shaderlog/");
 	fs::create_path(fs::get_config_dir() + "captures/");
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
index b7c90eeb05..dc615136b6 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/System.h
@@ -394,6 +394,7 @@ struct cfg_root : cfg::node
 		}
 
 		cfg::_bool host_root{this, "Enable /host_root/"};
+		cfg::_bool init_dirs{this, "Initialize Directories", true};
 
 	} vfs{this};