diff --git modules/image/image.admin.inc modules/image/image.admin.inc
index d72fdf4..e8d1a2c 100644
--- modules/image/image.admin.inc
+++ modules/image/image.admin.inc
@@ -773,8 +773,9 @@ function theme_image_style_preview($variables) {
 
   // Set up preview file information.
   $preview_file = image_style_path($style['name'], $original_path);
-  if (!file_exists($preview_file)) {
-    image_style_create_derivative($style, $original_path, $preview_file);
+  if (!(file_exists($preview_file) || image_style_create_derivative($style, $original_path, $preview_file))) {
+    watchdog('image', 'Preview image could not be created. Check permissions on your %d directory.', array('%d' => drupal_dirname($preview_file)));
+    return '';
   }
   $preview_image = image_get_info($preview_file);
   if ($preview_image['width'] > $preview_image['height']) {