diff --git a/oml/item/icons.py b/oml/item/icons.py
index dc670d5..37d89fb 100644
--- a/oml/item/icons.py
+++ b/oml/item/icons.py
@@ -22,23 +22,32 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 MAX_WORKERS = 4
 
 
-
 class Icons(dict):
+
     def __init__(self, db):
         self._db = db
         self.create()
 
+    def is_available(self):
+        folder = os.path.dirname(self._db)
+        if os.path.exists(folder):
+            if not os.path.exists(self._db):
+                self.create()
+        return os.path.exists(self._db)
+
     def connect(self):
         conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db, timeout=90)
         return conn
 
     def create(self):
-        conn = self.connect()
-        c = conn.cursor()
-        c.execute('CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS icon (id varchar(64) unique, data blob)')
-        c.execute('CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS setting (key varchar(256) unique, value text)')
-        if int(self.get_setting(c, 'version', 0)) < 1:
-            self.set_setting(c, 'version', 1)
+        folder = os.path.dirname(self._db)
+        if os.path.exists(folder):
+            conn = self.connect()
+            c = conn.cursor()
+            c.execute('CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS icon (id varchar(64) unique, data blob)')
+            c.execute('CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS setting (key varchar(256) unique, value text)')
+            if int(self.get_setting(c, 'version', 0)) < 1:
+                self.set_setting(c, 'version', 1)
 
     def get_setting(self, c, key, default=None):
         c.execute('SELECT value FROM setting WHERE key = ?', (key, ))
@@ -139,6 +148,8 @@ def get_icons_db_path():
     return icons_db_path
 
 def get_icon_sync(id, type_, size):
+    if not icons.is_available():
+        return ''
     if size:
         skey = '%s:%s:%s' % (type_, id, size)
         data = icons[skey]