diff --git a/bin/sshync.py b/bin/sshync.py
index d40c794..8fef98b 100755
--- a/bin/sshync.py
+++ b/bin/sshync.py
@@ -4,19 +4,17 @@
 
 # external modules
 
-from os import system, remove, mkdir, walk
+from os import mkdir, path, remove, system, walk
 from os.path import getmtime, join, expanduser
 from sys import exit as s_exit
+from pathlib import Path
 
 
 # utility functions
 
 def get_titles_mods(_directory, _destination, _user_data):
     _title_list, _mod_list = [], []
-    try:  # create config directory
-        mkdir(expanduser('~/.config/sshync'), 0o700)
-    except FileExistsError:
-        pass
+    Path(path.expanduser('~/.config/sshync')).mkdir(0o700, parents=True, exist_ok=True)  # create config directory
     # local fetching
     if _destination == 'l':
         remove(expanduser('~/.config/sshync/database'))  # assumed to exist because remote runs first
diff --git a/bin/sshyp b/bin/sshyp
index 27316c5..8b8cbda 100755
--- a/bin/sshyp
+++ b/bin/sshyp
@@ -52,10 +52,7 @@ def tweak():  # runs configuration wizard
         mkdir(path.expanduser('~/.password-pasture'), 0o700)
     except FileExistsError:
         pass
-    try:
-        mkdir(path.expanduser('~/.config/sshyp'), 0o700)
-    except FileExistsError:
-        pass
+    Path(path.expanduser('~/.config/sshyp')).mkdir(0o700, parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     if not Path(f"{path.expanduser('~/.config/sshyp/tmp')}").exists():
         if Path("/data/data/com.termux").exists():
             system(f"ln -s '/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/tmp' {path.expanduser('~/.config/sshyp/tmp')}")