diff --git a/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties b/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties
index d1ec4affeb6621124e1c97040d8d07fbf77afd3b..639b692f0e5673fcd26f5ddbc437e56073628d3c 100644
--- a/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties
+++ b/datastore_server/dist/etc/service.properties
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@ data-store-server-code = DSS1
 # The root directory of the data store
 storeroot-dir = data/store
 
-# The directory where the command queue file is located; defaults to storeroot-dir 
-commandqueue-dir =
+# The session workspace is stored in the storage root by default to have the same amount of space available that the final storage and allow atomic moves
+session-workspace-root-dir = ${storeroot-dir}/sessionWorkspace
+
+# The directory where the command queue file is located; defaults to storeroot-dir but ideally should be on the same computer as the server on a directory that survives upgrades
+commandqueue-dir = ../../datastore_commandqueue
 
 # Port
 port = 8444
diff --git a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/CommandQueueLister.java b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/CommandQueueLister.java
index 62b2c2aef18aebbf5b09ccee35fa5ea36f8022cf..378f0dd2129ec28ec7a95f77644789607e43026e 100644
--- a/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/CommandQueueLister.java
+++ b/datastore_server/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/dss/generic/server/CommandQueueLister.java
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ public final class CommandQueueLister
     public static void listQueuedCommand()
     {
         final ConfigParameters configParams = DataStoreServer.getConfigParameters();
+        if (!configParams.getCommandQueueDir().exists())
+        {
+            configParams.getCommandQueueDir().mkdirs();
+        }
         DataSetCommandExecutor.listQueuedCommands(configParams.getCommandQueueDir());
     }
 }