diff --git a/impactlab_tools/utils/paralog.py b/impactlab_tools/utils/paralog.py
index 9087b0e..b0e742c 100644
--- a/impactlab_tools/utils/paralog.py
+++ b/impactlab_tools/utils/paralog.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def __init__(self, jobname, jobtitle, logdir, timeout, exclusive_jobnames=[]):
         self.jobtitle = jobtitle
         self.timeout = timeout
         self.exclusive_jobnames = exclusive_jobnames
-        
+
         # Decide on the name of the log file
         if not os.path.exists(logdir):
             os.makedirs(logdir)
@@ -67,9 +67,11 @@ def __del__(self):
 
     def claim(self, dirpath):
         """Claim a directory."""
-        if self.is_claimed(dirpath):
+        if not os.path.exists(dirname):
+            os.makedirs(os.path.abspath(dirname))
+        elif self.is_claimed(dirpath):
             return False
-        
+
         status_path = StatusManager.claiming_filepath(dirpath, self.jobname)
         with open(status_path, 'w') as fp:
             fp.write("%d %s: %s\n" % (os.getpid(), self.jobtitle, self.logpath))
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ def update(self, dirpath, status):
         status_path = StatusManager.claiming_filepath(dirpath, self.jobname)
         with open(status_path, 'a') as fp:
             fp.write(status + '\n')
-    
+
     def release(self, dirpath, status):
         """Release the claim on this directory."""
         os.remove(StatusManager.claiming_filepath(dirpath, self.jobname))
@@ -91,6 +93,9 @@ def release(self, dirpath, status):
 
     def is_claimed(self, dirname):
         """Check if a directory has claims from any of our jobs."""
+        if not os.path.exists(dirname):
+            return False
+
         for jobname in [self.jobname] + self.exclusive_jobnames:
             filepath = StatusManager.claiming_filepath(dirname, jobname)
             if os.path.exists(filepath):
@@ -104,7 +109,7 @@ def is_claimed(self, dirname):
     def globalstatus_filepath(dirpath):
         """The path to the global status for the directory."""
         return StatusManager.claiming_filepath(dirpath, 'global')
-    
+
     @staticmethod
     def claiming_filepath(dirpath, jobname):
         """Return the path to the status file used for claiming a directory."""
@@ -117,7 +122,7 @@ def kill_active(dirpath, jobname):
 
         if not os.path.exists(filepath):
             return
-        
+
         with open(filepath, 'r') as fp:
             status = fp.read()
             pid = int(status.split()[0])
@@ -137,37 +142,9 @@ def write(self, message):
 
     def close(self):
         self.log.close()
-            
+
     def flush(self):
         #this flush method is needed for python 3 compatibility.
         #this handles the flush command by doing nothing.
         #you might want to specify some extra behavior here.
         pass
-        
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    statman1 = StatusManager('test', 'Testing process', '/shares/gcp/temp', 60*60)
-    print statman1.logpath
-    assert statman1.claim("/shares/gcp/temp"), "Cannot claim directory!"
-
-    statman2 = StatusManager('test', 'Testing process', '/shares/gcp/temp', 60*60)
-    print statman2.logpath
-    assert not statman2.claim("/shares/gcp/temp"), "Accidentally claimed directory!"
-
-    statman1.update("/shares/gcp/temp", "New status.")
-    statman1.release("/shares/gcp/temp", "First pass complete.")
-    
-    assert statman2.claim("/shares/gcp/temp"), "Cannot claim directory afterwards!"
-
-    statman2.release("/shares/gcp/temp", "Second pass complete.")
-
-    logpath1 = statman1.logpath
-    logpath2 = statman2.logpath
-
-    del statman2 # need to delete in opposite order for our test
-    del statman1
-    
-    print logpath1
-    print logpath2
-
-    with open(StatusManager.globalstatus_filepath("/shares/gcp/temp"), 'r') as fp:
-        print fp.read()
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_paralog.py b/tests/utils/test_paralog.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..49a0c37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils/test_paralog.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import pytest
+import shutil
+from impactlab_tools.utils import paralog
+
+def test_claiming():
+    statman1 = StatusManager('test', 'Testing process', 'testing-paralog', 60*60)
+    print statman1.logpath
+    assert statman1.claim("testing-paralog"), "Cannot claim directory!"
+
+    statman2 = StatusManager('test', 'Testing process', 'testing-paralog', 60*60)
+    print statman2.logpath
+    assert not statman2.claim("testing-paralog"), "Accidentally claimed directory!"
+
+    statman1.update("testing-paralog", "New status.")
+    statman1.release("testing-paralog", "First pass complete.")
+
+    assert statman2.claim("testing-paralog"), "Cannot claim directory afterwards!"
+
+    statman2.release("testing-paralog", "Second pass complete.")
+
+    logpath1 = statman1.logpath
+    logpath2 = statman2.logpath
+
+    del statman2 # need to delete in opposite order for our test
+    del statman1
+
+    print logpath1
+    print logpath2
+
+    with open(StatusManager.globalstatus_filepath("testing-paralog"), 'r') as fp:
+        print fp.read()
+
+    shutil.rmtree('testing-paralog')