diff --git a/infrastructure/deploy.sh b/infrastructure/deploy.sh
index babd67471..a8e9332ce 100755
--- a/infrastructure/deploy.sh
+++ b/infrastructure/deploy.sh
@@ -388,6 +388,19 @@ if [[ -n $container_running ]]; then
         -i data-refinery-key.pem \
         api-configuration/environment "ubuntu@$API_IP_ADDRESS:/home/ubuntu/environment"
 
+    # Ensure the API's static file dir exists and is accessible"
+    ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
+        -o ServerAliveInterval=15 \
+        -o ConnectTimeout=5 \
+        -i data-refinery-key.pem \
+        "ubuntu@$API_IP_ADDRESS" "mkdir -p /var/www/volumes_static"
+
+    ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
+        -o ServerAliveInterval=15 \
+        -o ConnectTimeout=5 \
+        -i data-refinery-key.pem \
+        "ubuntu@$API_IP_ADDRESS" "chmod a+rwx /var/www/volumes_static"
+
     # shellcheck disable=SC2029
     ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
         -o ServerAliveInterval=15 \