diff --git a/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/dev/filesystem/QuarkusFileManager.java b/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/dev/filesystem/QuarkusFileManager.java
index 4ac5314804078..71bd65e54830d 100644
--- a/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/dev/filesystem/QuarkusFileManager.java
+++ b/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/dev/filesystem/QuarkusFileManager.java
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ protected QuarkusFileManager(StandardJavaFileManager fileManager, Context contex
                 this.fileManager.setLocation(StandardLocation.SOURCE_OUTPUT, List.of(context.getGeneratedSourcesDirectory()));
             }
             if (context.getAnnotationProcessorPaths() != null) {
+                // Paths might be missing! (see: https://github.com/quarkusio/quarkus/issues/42908)
+                ensureDirectories(context.getAnnotationProcessorPaths());
                 this.fileManager.setLocation(StandardLocation.ANNOTATION_PROCESSOR_PATH, context.getAnnotationProcessorPaths());
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
@@ -39,6 +41,8 @@ public void reset(Context context) {
                 this.fileManager.setLocation(StandardLocation.SOURCE_OUTPUT, List.of(context.getGeneratedSourcesDirectory()));
             }
             if (context.getAnnotationProcessorPaths() != null) {
+                // Paths might be missing! (see: https://github.com/quarkusio/quarkus/issues/42908)
+                ensureDirectories(context.getAnnotationProcessorPaths());
                 this.fileManager.setLocation(StandardLocation.ANNOTATION_PROCESSOR_PATH, context.getAnnotationProcessorPaths());
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
@@ -46,6 +50,17 @@ public void reset(Context context) {
         }
     }
 
+    private void ensureDirectories(Iterable<File> directories) {
+        for (File directory : directories) {
+            if (!directory.exists()) {
+                final boolean success = directory.mkdirs();
+                if (!success) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException("Cannot create directory " + directory);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void close() throws IOException {
         super.close();