diff --git a/includes/FeedsHTTPCache.inc b/includes/FeedsHTTPCache.inc
index 944a2d1..1f01f8f 100644
--- a/includes/FeedsHTTPCache.inc
+++ b/includes/FeedsHTTPCache.inc
@@ -90,11 +90,26 @@ class FeedsHTTPCache extends DrupalDatabaseCache {
    *
    * @return string|null
    *   The name of the file that was created or NULL if no file was created.
+   *
+   * @throws Exception
+   *   In case the cache dir is not writable.
    */
   public function saveFile($cid, $response) {
     if (isset($response->data)) {
       $file_cache_dir = $this->getCacheDir();
-      file_prepare_directory($file_cache_dir, FILE_CREATE_DIRECTORY);
+      if (!file_prepare_directory($file_cache_dir, FILE_CREATE_DIRECTORY | FILE_MODIFY_PERMISSIONS)) {
+        // Cache directory is not writeable.
+        if (user_access('administer feeds')) {
+          $message = t("The feeds cache directory (@dir) either cannot be created or is not writable. You can change the cache directory by setting the '@variable' variable.", array(
+            '@dir' => $file_cache_dir,
+            '@variable' => 'feeds_http_file_cache_dir',
+          ));
+        }
+        else {
+          $message = t('The feeds cache directory either cannot be created or is not writable. Please contact your site administrator.');
+        }
+        throw new Exception($message);
+      }
       $filename = $this->constructFilePath($cid);
       file_put_contents($filename, $response->data);
 
diff --git a/tests/FeedsHTTPCacheTest.test b/tests/FeedsHTTPCacheTest.test
index 2577afc..2ae8d5e 100644
--- a/tests/FeedsHTTPCacheTest.test
+++ b/tests/FeedsHTTPCacheTest.test
@@ -510,4 +510,34 @@ class FeedsHTTPCacheTest extends FeedsWebTestCase {
     // And assert that the cache class reports that the cache is not empty.
     $this->assertFalse($this->cache->isEmpty());
   }
+
+  /**
+   * @covers FeedsHTTPCache::saveFile().
+   */
+  public function testSaveFile() {
+    $cid = static::randomName();
+    $response = $this->createHttpResponse();
+    $this->cache->saveFile($cid, $response);
+    $this->assertCacheFileExists($cid);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @covers FeedsHTTPCache::saveFile().
+   *
+   * Tests failing to create cache directory.
+   */
+  public function testSaveFileException() {
+    variable_set('feeds_http_file_cache_dir', 'file://non-writeable-dir/feeds');
+
+    $cid = static::randomName();
+    $response = $this->createHttpResponse();
+    try {
+      $this->cache->saveFile($cid, $response);
+    }
+    catch (Exception $e) {}
+    $this->assertTrue(isset($e), 'An exception is thrown.');
+
+    $this->assertNoCacheFileExists($cid);
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/feeds_fetcher_http.test b/tests/feeds_fetcher_http.test
index 32618ad..cb7d637 100644
--- a/tests/feeds_fetcher_http.test
+++ b/tests/feeds_fetcher_http.test
@@ -384,4 +384,26 @@ class FeedsFileHTTPTestCase extends FeedsWebTestCase {
     $this->assertNotEqual('CHANGED IN CACHED FILE', $node->body[LANGUAGE_NONE][0]['value']);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Tests that a non-writable cache directory does not result into fatal
+   * errors.
+   */
+  public function testNonWritableCacheDirectory() {
+    // Set the cache directory to a non-writable directory.
+    variable_set('feeds_http_file_cache_dir', 'file://non-writeable-dir/feeds');
+
+    $this->setUpImporter();
+
+    $source_url = url('testing/feeds/nodes.csv', array('absolute' => TRUE));
+    $edit = array(
+      'feeds[FeedsHTTPFetcher][source]' => $source_url,
+    );
+    $this->drupalPost('import/node', $edit, t('Import'));
+
+    // Assert that a message is being displayed and that we are back on the
+    // import form.
+    $this->assertText("The feeds cache directory (file://non-writeable-dir/feeds) either cannot be created or is not writable. You can change the cache directory by setting the 'feeds_http_file_cache_dir' variable.");
+    $this->assertFieldByName('feeds[FeedsHTTPFetcher][source]', $source_url);
+  }
+
 }