diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/models/concerns/job_logger.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/models/concerns/job_logger.rb
index ba235dfae0..7a94983b98 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/models/concerns/job_logger.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/models/concerns/job_logger.rb
@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ def jobs(directory)
   class JobLoggerHelper
     class << self
       def log_file(directory)
-        Pathname.new("#{directory}/.ondemand/job_log.yml").tap do |path|
-          FileUtils.touch(path.to_s) unless path.exist?
-        end
+        Pathname.new("#{directory}/.ondemand/job_log.yml")
       end
 
       def write_log(directory, jobs)
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/models/project.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/models/project.rb
index c83cbd50df..8f407f8969 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/models/project.rb
@@ -302,6 +302,10 @@ def update_attrs(attributes)
   def make_dir
     project_dataroot.mkpath         unless project_dataroot.exist?
     configuration_directory.mkpath  unless configuration_directory.exist?
+    workflow_directory = Workflow.workflow_dir(project_dataroot)
+    workflow_directory.mkpath unless workflow_directory.exist?
+    logfile_path = JobLogger::JobLoggerHelper.log_file(project_dataroot)
+    FileUtils.touch(logfile_path.to_s) unless logfile_path.exist?
     true
   rescue StandardError => e
     errors.add(:save, "Failed to make directory: #{e.message}")
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/models/workflow.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/models/workflow.rb
index b0698a41db..5925c7cca3 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/models/workflow.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/models/workflow.rb
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@ class Workflow
 
   class << self
     def workflow_dir(project_dir)
-      dir = Pathname.new("#{project_dir}/.ondemand/workflows")
-      FileUtils.mkdir_p(dir) unless dir.exist?
-      dir
+      Pathname.new("#{project_dir}/.ondemand/workflows")
     end
 
     def find(id, project_dir)
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/test/models/projects_test.rb b/apps/dashboard/test/models/projects_test.rb
index 1e0162053b..e306efa359 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/test/models/projects_test.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/test/models/projects_test.rb
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class ProjectsTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       assert Dir.glob(cache_json_path).present? && 
         Dir.glob("#{project.directory}/.ondemand/launchers/*/cache.json").empty?
       assert Dir.glob(job_log_path).present? &&
-        Dir.glob("#{project.directory}/.ondemand/*").exclude?("#{project.directory}/.ondemand/job_log.yml")
+        File.read("#{project.directory}/.ondemand/job_log.yml").empty?
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/test/models/workflow_test.rb b/apps/dashboard/test/models/workflow_test.rb
index cb631e98ff..0eeba7a696 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/test/models/workflow_test.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/test/models/workflow_test.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ class WorkflowsTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
       invalid_directory = tmp
       workflow = Workflow.new({ name: 'test', project_dir: invalid_directory.to_s})
-
+      # this step is done by the project
+      Workflow.workflow_dir(invalid_directory).mkpath
       assert workflow.save
       assert_equal 0, workflow.errors.size
     end
@@ -128,6 +129,8 @@ class WorkflowsTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   def create_workflow(id: nil, name: 'test-workflow', description: 'description', project_dir: nil, launcher_ids: [], source_ids: [], target_ids: [])
     attrs = { name: name, id: id, description: description, project_dir: project_dir, launcher_ids: launcher_ids, source_ids: source_ids, target_ids: target_ids}
     workflow = Workflow.new(attrs)
+    # this directory is usually created by the project
+    Workflow.workflow_dir(project_dir).mkpath
     assert workflow.save
 
     workflow