diff --git a/docs/adapters/claude-local.md b/docs/adapters/claude-local.md
index 9b09a7fa..dcbbb7ed 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/claude-local.md
+++ b/docs/adapters/claude-local.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ The `claude_local` adapter runs Anthropic's Claude Code CLI locally. It supports
 
 | Field | Type | Required | Description |
 |-------|------|----------|-------------|
-| `cwd` | string | Yes | Working directory for the agent process |
+| `cwd` | string | Yes | Working directory for the agent process (absolute path; created automatically if missing when permissions allow) |
 | `model` | string | No | Claude model to use (e.g. `claude-opus-4-6`) |
 | `promptTemplate` | string | No | Prompt used for all runs |
 | `env` | object | No | Environment variables (supports secret refs) |
@@ -52,5 +52,5 @@ The adapter creates a temporary directory with symlinks to Paperclip skills and
 Use the "Test Environment" button in the UI to validate the adapter config. It checks:
 
 - Claude CLI is installed and accessible
-- Working directory exists and is valid
+- Working directory is absolute and available (auto-created if missing and permitted)
 - API key is configured (warning if missing)
diff --git a/docs/adapters/codex-local.md b/docs/adapters/codex-local.md
index 79f5f873..f58213fb 100644
--- a/docs/adapters/codex-local.md
+++ b/docs/adapters/codex-local.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ The `codex_local` adapter runs OpenAI's Codex CLI locally. It supports session p
 
 | Field | Type | Required | Description |
 |-------|------|----------|-------------|
-| `cwd` | string | Yes | Working directory for the agent process |
+| `cwd` | string | Yes | Working directory for the agent process (absolute path; created automatically if missing when permissions allow) |
 | `model` | string | No | Model to use |
 | `promptTemplate` | string | No | Prompt used for all runs |
 | `env` | object | No | Environment variables (supports secret refs) |
@@ -35,5 +35,5 @@ The adapter symlinks Paperclip skills into the global Codex skills directory (`~
 The environment test checks:
 
 - Codex CLI is installed and accessible
-- Working directory exists and is valid
+- Working directory is absolute and available (auto-created if missing and permitted)
 - API key is configured
diff --git a/packages/adapter-utils/src/server-utils.ts b/packages/adapter-utils/src/server-utils.ts
index c744f4ce..9de5b7cc 100644
--- a/packages/adapter-utils/src/server-utils.ts
+++ b/packages/adapter-utils/src/server-utils.ts
@@ -113,20 +113,40 @@ export function ensurePathInEnv(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv): NodeJS.ProcessEnv {
   return { ...env, PATH: defaultPathForPlatform() };
 }
 
-export async function ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd: string) {
+export async function ensureAbsoluteDirectory(
+  cwd: string,
+  opts: { createIfMissing?: boolean } = {},
+) {
   if (!path.isAbsolute(cwd)) {
     throw new Error(`Working directory must be an absolute path: "${cwd}"`);
   }
 
-  let stats;
+  const assertDirectory = async () => {
+    const stats = await fs.stat(cwd);
+    if (!stats.isDirectory()) {
+      throw new Error(`Working directory is not a directory: "${cwd}"`);
+    }
+  };
+
   try {
-    stats = await fs.stat(cwd);
-  } catch {
-    throw new Error(`Working directory does not exist: "${cwd}"`);
+    await assertDirectory();
+    return;
+  } catch (err) {
+    const code = (err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
+    if (!opts.createIfMissing || code !== "ENOENT") {
+      if (code === "ENOENT") {
+        throw new Error(`Working directory does not exist: "${cwd}"`);
+      }
+      throw err instanceof Error ? err : new Error(String(err));
+    }
   }
 
-  if (!stats.isDirectory()) {
-    throw new Error(`Working directory is not a directory: "${cwd}"`);
+  try {
+    await fs.mkdir(cwd, { recursive: true });
+    await assertDirectory();
+  } catch (err) {
+    const reason = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+    throw new Error(`Could not create working directory "${cwd}": ${reason}`);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/index.ts b/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/index.ts
index 6e96361f..481c305d 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/index.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export const agentConfigurationDoc = `# claude_local agent configuration
 Adapter: claude_local
 
 Core fields:
-- cwd (string, optional): default absolute working directory fallback for the agent process
+- cwd (string, optional): default absolute working directory fallback for the agent process (created if missing when possible)
 - instructionsFilePath (string, optional): absolute path to a markdown instructions file injected at runtime
 - model (string, optional): Claude model id
 - effort (string, optional): reasoning effort passed via --effort (low|medium|high)
diff --git a/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/execute.ts b/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/execute.ts
index eeef39b5..9827544d 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/execute.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/execute.ts
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ async function buildClaudeRuntimeConfig(input: ClaudeExecutionInput): Promise<Cl
   const useConfiguredInsteadOfAgentHome = workspaceSource === "agent_home" && configuredCwd.length > 0;
   const effectiveWorkspaceCwd = useConfiguredInsteadOfAgentHome ? "" : workspaceCwd;
   const cwd = effectiveWorkspaceCwd || configuredCwd || process.cwd();
-  await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd);
+  await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd, { createIfMissing: true });
 
   const envConfig = parseObject(config.env);
   const hasExplicitApiKey =
diff --git a/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/test.ts b/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/test.ts
index d74703e2..bc44d9dc 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/test.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/claude-local/src/server/test.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export async function testEnvironment(
   const cwd = asString(config.cwd, process.cwd());
 
   try {
-    await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd);
+    await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd, { createIfMissing: true });
     checks.push({
       code: "claude_cwd_valid",
       level: "info",
diff --git a/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/index.ts b/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/index.ts
index 92dd95ca..0b9b6103 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/index.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export const agentConfigurationDoc = `# codex_local agent configuration
 Adapter: codex_local
 
 Core fields:
-- cwd (string, optional): default absolute working directory fallback for the agent process
+- cwd (string, optional): default absolute working directory fallback for the agent process (created if missing when possible)
 - instructionsFilePath (string, optional): absolute path to a markdown instructions file prepended to stdin prompt at runtime
 - model (string, optional): Codex model id
 - modelReasoningEffort (string, optional): reasoning effort override (minimal|low|medium|high) passed via -c model_reasoning_effort=...
diff --git a/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/execute.ts b/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/execute.ts
index 0e21b9f4..47ce9e96 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/execute.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/execute.ts
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
   const useConfiguredInsteadOfAgentHome = workspaceSource === "agent_home" && configuredCwd.length > 0;
   const effectiveWorkspaceCwd = useConfiguredInsteadOfAgentHome ? "" : workspaceCwd;
   const cwd = effectiveWorkspaceCwd || configuredCwd || process.cwd();
-  await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd);
+  await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd, { createIfMissing: true });
   await ensureCodexSkillsInjected(onLog);
   const envConfig = parseObject(config.env);
   const hasExplicitApiKey =
diff --git a/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/test.ts b/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/test.ts
index 8f89cbd6..606ec233 100644
--- a/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/test.ts
+++ b/packages/adapters/codex-local/src/server/test.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export async function testEnvironment(
   const cwd = asString(config.cwd, process.cwd());
 
   try {
-    await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd);
+    await ensureAbsoluteDirectory(cwd, { createIfMissing: true });
     checks.push({
       code: "codex_cwd_valid",
       level: "info",
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/claude-local-adapter-environment.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/claude-local-adapter-environment.test.ts
index 8fe62025..7fd96824 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/claude-local-adapter-environment.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/claude-local-adapter-environment.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
 import { testEnvironment } from "@paperclipai/adapter-claude-local/server";
 
 const ORIGINAL_ANTHROPIC = process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
@@ -60,4 +63,29 @@ describe("claude_local environment diagnostics", () => {
     ).toBe(true);
     expect(result.checks.some((check) => check.level === "error")).toBe(false);
   });
+
+  it("creates a missing working directory when cwd is absolute", async () => {
+    const cwd = path.join(
+      os.tmpdir(),
+      `paperclip-claude-local-cwd-${Date.now()}-${Math.random().toString(16).slice(2)}`,
+      "workspace",
+    );
+
+    await fs.rm(path.dirname(cwd), { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    const result = await testEnvironment({
+      companyId: "company-1",
+      adapterType: "claude_local",
+      config: {
+        command: process.execPath,
+        cwd,
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(result.checks.some((check) => check.code === "claude_cwd_valid")).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.checks.some((check) => check.level === "error")).toBe(false);
+    const stats = await fs.stat(cwd);
+    expect(stats.isDirectory()).toBe(true);
+    await fs.rm(path.dirname(cwd), { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/codex-local-adapter-environment.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/codex-local-adapter-environment.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9814334d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/codex-local-adapter-environment.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { testEnvironment } from "@paperclipai/adapter-codex-local/server";
+
+describe("codex_local environment diagnostics", () => {
+  it("creates a missing working directory when cwd is absolute", async () => {
+    const cwd = path.join(
+      os.tmpdir(),
+      `paperclip-codex-local-cwd-${Date.now()}-${Math.random().toString(16).slice(2)}`,
+      "workspace",
+    );
+
+    await fs.rm(path.dirname(cwd), { recursive: true, force: true });
+
+    const result = await testEnvironment({
+      companyId: "company-1",
+      adapterType: "codex_local",
+      config: {
+        command: process.execPath,
+        cwd,
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(result.checks.some((check) => check.code === "codex_cwd_valid")).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.checks.some((check) => check.level === "error")).toBe(false);
+    const stats = await fs.stat(cwd);
+    expect(stats.isDirectory()).toBe(true);
+    await fs.rm(path.dirname(cwd), { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+});