diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt
index e4c31906b9..ba8a87da89 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 package net.corda.node.internal
 
 import io.netty.channel.unix.Errors
+import net.corda.cliutils.printError
 import net.corda.cliutils.CliWrapperBase
 import net.corda.cliutils.CordaCliWrapper
 import net.corda.cliutils.CordaVersionProvider
 import net.corda.cliutils.ExitCodes
+import net.corda.cliutils.ShellConstants
 import net.corda.core.contracts.HashAttachmentConstraint
 import net.corda.core.crypto.Crypto
 import net.corda.core.internal.*
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ abstract class NodeCliCommand(alias: String, description: String, val startup: N
         const val LOGS_DIRECTORY_NAME = "logs"
     }
 
-    override fun initLogging() = this.initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
+    override fun initLogging(): Boolean = this.initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
 
     @Mixin
     val cmdLineOptions = SharedNodeCmdLineOptions()
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ open class NodeStartupCli : CordaCliWrapper("corda", "Runs a Corda Node") {
     private val initialRegistrationCli by lazy { InitialRegistrationCli(startup) }
     private val validateConfigurationCli by lazy { ValidateConfigurationCli() }
 
-    override fun initLogging() = this.initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
+    override fun initLogging(): Boolean = this.initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
 
     override fun additionalSubCommands() = setOf(networkCacheCli, justGenerateNodeInfoCli, justGenerateRpcSslCertsCli, initialRegistrationCli, validateConfigurationCli)
 
@@ -437,14 +439,32 @@ interface NodeStartupLogging {
     }
 }
 
-fun CliWrapperBase.initLogging(baseDirectory: Path) {
+fun CliWrapperBase.initLogging(baseDirectory: Path): Boolean {
     System.setProperty("defaultLogLevel", specifiedLogLevel) // These properties are referenced from the XML config file.
     if (verbose) {
         System.setProperty("consoleLoggingEnabled", "true")
         System.setProperty("consoleLogLevel", specifiedLogLevel)
         Node.renderBasicInfoToConsole = false
     }
+
+    //Test for access to the logging path and shutdown if we are unable to reach it.
+    val logPath = baseDirectory / NodeCliCommand.LOGS_DIRECTORY_NAME
+    try {
+        logPath.createDirectories()
+    } catch (e: IOException) {
+        printError("Unable to create logging directory ${logPath.toString()}. Node will now shutdown.")
+        return false
+    } catch (e: SecurityException) {
+        printError("Current user is unable to access logging directory ${logPath.toString()}. Node will now shutdown.")
+        return false
+    }
+    if (!logPath.isDirectory()) {
+        printError("Unable to access logging directory ${logPath.toString()}. Node will now shutdown.")
+        return false
+    }
+
     System.setProperty("log-path", (baseDirectory / NodeCliCommand.LOGS_DIRECTORY_NAME).toString())
     SLF4JBridgeHandler.removeHandlersForRootLogger() // The default j.u.l config adds a ConsoleHandler.
     SLF4JBridgeHandler.install()
+    return true
 }
diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/InitialRegistrationCli.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/InitialRegistrationCli.kt
index 228f6e3400..8cdea61831 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/InitialRegistrationCli.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/InitialRegistrationCli.kt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class InitialRegistrationCli(val startup: NodeStartup): CliWrapperBase("initial-
         return startup.initialiseAndRun(cmdLineOptions, InitialRegistration(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory, networkRootTrustStorePath, networkRootTrustStorePassword, startup))
     }
 
-    override fun initLogging() = this.initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
+    override fun initLogging(): Boolean = this.initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
 
     @Mixin
     val cmdLineOptions = InitialRegistrationCmdLineOptions()
diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/ValidateConfigurationCli.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/ValidateConfigurationCli.kt
index fd264e4563..7dca45faca 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/ValidateConfigurationCli.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/subcommands/ValidateConfigurationCli.kt
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ internal class ValidateConfigurationCli : CliWrapperBase("validate-configuration
     @Mixin
     private val cmdLineOptions = SharedNodeCmdLineOptions()
 
-    override fun initLogging() = initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
+    override fun initLogging(): Boolean = initLogging(cmdLineOptions.baseDirectory)
 
     override fun runProgram(): Int {
         val rawConfig = cmdLineOptions.rawConfiguration().doOnErrors(cmdLineOptions::logRawConfigurationErrors).optional ?: return ExitCodes.FAILURE
diff --git a/tools/cliutils/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/cliutils/CordaCliWrapper.kt b/tools/cliutils/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/cliutils/CordaCliWrapper.kt
index 7a61cc3a28..0b219e67a5 100644
--- a/tools/cliutils/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/cliutils/CordaCliWrapper.kt
+++ b/tools/cliutils/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/cliutils/CordaCliWrapper.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package net.corda.cliutils
 
+import net.corda.cliutils.ExitCodes
 import net.corda.core.internal.rootMessage
 import net.corda.core.utilities.contextLogger
 import org.fusesource.jansi.AnsiConsole
@@ -123,12 +124,13 @@ abstract class CliWrapperBase(val alias: String, val description: String) : Call
 
     // This needs to be called before loggers (See: NodeStartup.kt:51 logger called by lazy, initLogging happens before).
     // Node's logging is more rich. In corda configurations two properties, defaultLoggingLevel and consoleLogLevel, are usually used.
-    open fun initLogging() {
+    open fun initLogging(): Boolean {
         System.setProperty("defaultLogLevel", specifiedLogLevel) // These properties are referenced from the XML config file.
         if (verbose) {
             System.setProperty("consoleLogLevel", specifiedLogLevel)
         }
         System.setProperty("log-path", Paths.get(".").toString())
+        return true
     }
 
     // Override this function with the actual method to be run once all the arguments have been parsed. The return number
@@ -141,7 +143,9 @@ abstract class CliWrapperBase(val alias: String, val description: String) : Call
         return runProgram()
     }
 
-    val specifiedLogLevel: String by lazy { System.getProperty("log4j2.level")?.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH) ?: loggingLevel.name.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH) }
+    val specifiedLogLevel: String by lazy {
+        System.getProperty("log4j2.level")?.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH) ?: loggingLevel.name.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH)
+    }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -178,20 +182,20 @@ abstract class CordaCliWrapper(alias: String, description: String) : CliWrapperB
     }
 
     override fun call(): Int {
-        initLogging()
+        if (!initLogging()) {
+            return ExitCodes.FAILURE
+        }
         logger.info("Application Args: ${args.joinToString(" ")}")
         installShellExtensionsParser.updateShellExtensions()
         return runProgram()
     }
 
     fun printHelp() = cmd.usage(System.out)
-
 }
 
 fun printWarning(message: String) = System.err.println("${ShellConstants.YELLOW}$message${ShellConstants.RESET}")
 fun printError(message: String) = System.err.println("${ShellConstants.RED}$message${ShellConstants.RESET}")
 
-
 /**
  * Useful commonly used constants applicable to many CLI tools
  */
diff --git a/tools/shell-cli/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/tools/shell/StandaloneShell.kt b/tools/shell-cli/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/tools/shell/StandaloneShell.kt
index 8d40c858ea..aa2016aef6 100644
--- a/tools/shell-cli/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/tools/shell/StandaloneShell.kt
+++ b/tools/shell-cli/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/tools/shell/StandaloneShell.kt
@@ -56,10 +56,11 @@ class StandaloneShell : CordaCliWrapper("corda-shell", "The Corda standalone she
 
     private fun getManifestEntry(key: String) = if (Manifests.exists(key)) Manifests.read(key) else "Unknown"
 
-    override fun initLogging() {
+    override fun initLogging() : Boolean {
         super.initLogging()
         SLF4JBridgeHandler.removeHandlersForRootLogger() // The default j.u.l config adds a ConsoleHandler.
         SLF4JBridgeHandler.install()
+        return true
     }
 
     override fun runProgram(): Int {