diff --git a/cmd/photoprism/photoprism.go b/cmd/photoprism/photoprism.go
index 870502012..48e35c2f1 100644
--- a/cmd/photoprism/photoprism.go
+++ b/cmd/photoprism/photoprism.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/photoprism"
 	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/server"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 )
 
@@ -78,7 +79,13 @@ func main() {
 					conf.ServerMode = context.String("server-mode")
 				}
 
-				conf.CreateDirectories()
+				if conf.ServerPort < 1 {
+					log.Fatal("Server port must be a positive integer")
+				}
+
+				if err := conf.CreateDirectories(); err != nil {
+					log.Fatal(err)
+				}
 
 				conf.MigrateDb()
 
@@ -112,7 +119,9 @@ func main() {
 			Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 				conf := photoprism.NewConfig(context)
 
-				conf.CreateDirectories()
+				if err := conf.CreateDirectories(); err != nil {
+					log.Fatal(err)
+				}
 
 				conf.MigrateDb()
 
@@ -137,7 +146,9 @@ func main() {
 			Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 				conf := photoprism.NewConfig(context)
 
-				conf.CreateDirectories()
+				if err := conf.CreateDirectories(); err != nil {
+					log.Fatal(err)
+				}
 
 				conf.MigrateDb()
 
@@ -160,7 +171,9 @@ func main() {
 			Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 				conf := photoprism.NewConfig(context)
 
-				conf.CreateDirectories()
+				if err := conf.CreateDirectories(); err != nil {
+					log.Fatal(err)
+				}
 
 				fmt.Printf("Converting RAW images in %s to JPEG...\n", conf.OriginalsPath)
 
@@ -193,7 +206,9 @@ func main() {
 			Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 				conf := photoprism.NewConfig(context)
 
-				conf.CreateDirectories()
+				if err := conf.CreateDirectories(); err != nil {
+					log.Fatal(err)
+				}
 
 				fmt.Printf("Creating thumbnails in %s...\n", conf.ThumbnailsPath)
 
@@ -242,7 +257,9 @@ func main() {
 			Action: func(context *cli.Context) error {
 				conf := photoprism.NewConfig(context)
 
-				conf.CreateDirectories()
+				if err := conf.CreateDirectories(); err != nil {
+					log.Fatal(err)
+				}
 
 				before := context.String("before")
 				after := context.String("after")
diff --git a/docker-compose.prod.yml b/docker-compose.prod.yml
index 4e96e7c0c..04a7f628a 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prod.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.prod.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,22 @@
 version: '3.3'
 
+# Example docker-compose config file for production use
+# Usage: docker-compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml up
+
 services:
   photoprism:
-    image: photoprism/photoprism
+    image: photoprism/photoprism # Uses pre-built image from docker hub: https://hub.docker.com/r/photoprism/photoprism/
     ports:
       - 80:80
     volumes:
-      - photoprism-photos:/var/photoprism/photos
+      - ~/Photos:/var/photoprism/photos # Change ~/Photos to whatever directory you want to use on your local computer
+      - photoprism-thumbnails:/var/photoprism/thumbnails
+    environment:
+      PHOTOPRISM_ASSETS_PATH: /var/photoprism
+      PHOTOPRISM_THUMBNAILS_PATH: /var/photoprism/thumbnails
+      PHOTOPRISM_IMPORT_PATH: /var/photoprism/photos/Import # ~/Photos/Import on your local computer
+      PHOTOPRISM_EXPORT_PATH: /var/photoprism/photos/Export # ~/Photos/Export on your local computer
+      PHOTOPRISM_ORIGINALS_PATH: /var/photoprism/photos/Originals # ~/Photos/Originals on your local computer
 
   database:
     image: mysql:latest
@@ -20,7 +30,7 @@ services:
       MYSQL_DATABASE: photoprism
 
 volumes:
-  photoprism-photos:
+  photoprism-thumbnails:
     driver: local
   photoprism-database:
     driver: local
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/photoprism/config.go b/internal/photoprism/config.go
index 128fb38ed..589d9954f 100644
--- a/internal/photoprism/config.go
+++ b/internal/photoprism/config.go
@@ -142,11 +142,24 @@ func (c *Config) SetValuesFromCliContext(context *cli.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *Config) CreateDirectories() {
-	os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.OriginalsPath), os.ModePerm)
-	os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.ThumbnailsPath), os.ModePerm)
-	os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.ImportPath), os.ModePerm)
-	os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.ExportPath), os.ModePerm)
+func (c *Config) CreateDirectories() error {
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.OriginalsPath), os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.ThumbnailsPath), os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.ImportPath), os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(c.ExportPath), os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Config) ConnectToDatabase() error {