diff --git a/plugins/content/local/store.go b/plugins/content/local/store.go
index 794c82c25e..1b9abdd3b0 100644
--- a/plugins/content/local/store.go
+++ b/plugins/content/local/store.go
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@ package local
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
@@ -84,8 +86,18 @@ func NewStore(root string) (content.Store, error) {
 // require labels and should use `NewStore`. `NewLabeledStore` is primarily
 // useful for tests or standalone implementations.
 func NewLabeledStore(root string, ls LabelStore) (content.Store, error) {
-	supported, _ := fsverity.IsSupported(root)
-
+	if _, err := os.Stat(root); err != nil {
+		if !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to stat %q: %w", root, err)
+		}
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(root, 0755); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to mkdir %q: %w", root, err)
+		}
+	}
+	supported, err := fsverity.IsSupported(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.L.WithError(err).WithField("path", root).Warnf("failed check for fsverity support")
+	}
 	s := &store{
 		root:               root,
 		ls:                 ls,
diff --git a/plugins/content/local/store_test.go b/plugins/content/local/store_test.go
index 54b082dcd6..0ce3a9c9c9 100644
--- a/plugins/content/local/store_test.go
+++ b/plugins/content/local/store_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"runtime"
@@ -94,15 +95,50 @@ func (mls *memoryLabelStore) Update(d digest.Digest, update map[string]string) (
 func TestContent(t *testing.T) {
 	testsuite.ContentSuite(t, "fs", func(ctx context.Context, root string) (context.Context, content.Store, func() error, error) {
 		cs, err := NewLabeledStore(root, newMemoryLabelStore())
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, nil, nil, err
-		}
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		return ctx, cs, func() error {
 			return nil
 		}, nil
 	})
 }
 
+func TestContentRootDir(t *testing.T) {
+	// test dir exist
+	dirExist := t.TempDir()
+	_, err := NewLabeledStore(dirExist, newMemoryLabelStore())
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	// test dir doesn't exist
+	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "test_dir001")
+	_, err = NewLabeledStore(dir, newMemoryLabelStore())
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	_, err = os.Stat(dir)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+func TestInvalidPermissionRootDir(t *testing.T) {
+	// test dir permissions are invalid
+	if os.Getuid() != 0 {
+		t.Skip("skipping test that requires root")
+	}
+	_, err := exec.LookPath("chattr")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Skip("skipping test that requires chattr command")
+	}
+	dirBadPermission := t.TempDir()
+	cmd := exec.Command("chattr", "+i", dirBadPermission)
+	_, err = cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() {
+		cmd := exec.Command("chattr", "-i", dirBadPermission)
+		_, err = cmd.CombinedOutput()
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+	}()
+	_, err = fsverity.IsSupported(dirBadPermission)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("err can't be nil"))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestContentWriter(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, tmpdir, cs, cleanup := contentStoreEnv(t)
 	defer cleanup()