diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/PrependToFileStep.java b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/PrependToFileStep.java
index 99161c2d..c6d8b61c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/PrependToFileStep.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/PrependToFileStep.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 package org.jenkinsci.plugins.pipeline.utility.steps.fs;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -146,9 +147,12 @@ protected FileWrapper run() throws Exception {
 			final FilePath ws = this.getContext().get(FilePath.class);
 			assert ws != null;
 			final FilePath file = ws.child(this.step.getFile());
-			if (!file.exists()) {
-				file.getParent().mkdirs();
+			FilePath parent = file.getParent();
+			if (!file.exists() && parent != null) {
+				parent.mkdirs();
 				file.touch(System.currentTimeMillis());
+			} else if (parent == null) {
+				throw new IOException("No parent path for " + file.getRemote());
 			}
 			final String content = this.step.getContent();
 			final String originalContent = file.readToString();
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/TouchStep.java b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/TouchStep.java
index c9893a81..e9a29a19 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/TouchStep.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/pipeline/utility/steps/fs/TouchStep.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import org.kohsuke.stapler.DataBoundSetter;
 import org.kohsuke.stapler.QueryParameter;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Set;
 
@@ -143,7 +144,12 @@ protected FileWrapper run() throws Exception {
             assert ws != null;
             FilePath file = ws.child(step.getFile());
             long timestamp = step.getTimestamp() != null ? step.getTimestamp() : System.currentTimeMillis();
-            file.getParent().mkdirs();
+            final FilePath parent = file.getParent();
+            if (parent != null) {
+                parent.mkdirs();
+            } else {
+                throw new IOException("No parent path for " + file.getRemote());
+            }
             file.touch(timestamp);
             return new FileWrapper(file);
         }