diff --git a/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/directories.py b/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/directories.py
index faeb6c3..831ac1a 100644
--- a/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/directories.py
+++ b/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/directories.py
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
 import logging
 import posixpath
 
+import isilon_hadoop_tools.onefs
 from isilon_hadoop_tools import IsilonHadoopToolError
 
-
 __all__ = [
     # Exceptions
     'DirectoriesError',
@@ -62,7 +62,13 @@ def create_directories(self, directories, setup=None, mkdir=None, chmod=None, ch
         for directory in directories:
             path = posixpath.join(zone_hdfs, directory.path.lstrip(posixpath.sep))
             LOGGER.info("mkdir '%s%s'", zone_root, path)
-            (mkdir or self.onefs.mkdir)(path, directory.mode, zone=self.onefs_zone)
+            try:
+                (mkdir or self.onefs.mkdir)(path, directory.mode, zone=self.onefs_zone)
+            except isilon_hadoop_tools.onefs.APIError as exc:
+                if exc.dir_path_already_exists_error():
+                    LOGGER.warning("%s%s already exists. ", zone_root, path)
+                else:
+                    raise
             LOGGER.info("chmod '%o' '%s%s'", directory.mode, zone_root, path)
             (chmod or self.onefs.chmod)(path, directory.mode, zone=self.onefs_zone)
             LOGGER.info("chown '%s:%s' '%s%s'", directory.owner, directory.group, zone_root, path)
diff --git a/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/onefs.py b/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/onefs.py
index 509d2fa..6018a86 100644
--- a/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/onefs.py
+++ b/src/isilon_hadoop_tools/onefs.py
@@ -288,6 +288,8 @@ class APIError(_BaseAPIError):
     user_not_found_error_format = "Failed to find user for 'USER:{0}': No such user"
     user_unresolvable_error_format = "Could not resolve user {0}"
     zone_not_found_error_format = 'Access Zone "{0}" not found.'
+    dir_path_already_exists_error_format = \
+        'Unable to create directory as requested -- container already exists'
     # pylint: enable=invalid-name
 
     def __str__(self):
@@ -459,6 +461,14 @@ def zone_not_found_error(self, zone_name):
             )
         )
 
+    def dir_path_already_exists_error(self):
+        """Returns True if the exception contains a directory path already exist error."""
+        return any(
+            self.filtered_errors(
+                lambda error: error['message'] == self.dir_path_already_exists_error_format,
+            )
+        )
+
 
 class MissingLicenseError(OneFSError):
     """This Exception is raised when a license that is expected to exist cannot be found."""