diff --git a/pecos/xmc/xlinear/model.py b/pecos/xmc/xlinear/model.py
index 98a7ab38..49afadf1 100644
--- a/pecos/xmc/xlinear/model.py
+++ b/pecos/xmc/xlinear/model.py
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ def compile_mmap_model(cls, npz_folder, mmap_folder):
         """
         import shutil
 
+        if not path.exists(mmap_folder):
+            os.makedirs(mmap_folder)
         shutil.copyfile(path.join(npz_folder, "param.json"), path.join(mmap_folder, "param.json"))
         HierarchicalMLModel.compile_mmap_model(
             path.join(npz_folder, "ranker"), path.join(mmap_folder, "ranker")
diff --git a/test/pecos/xmc/xlinear/test_xlinear.py b/test/pecos/xmc/xlinear/test_xlinear.py
index 3d393d51..3ef40613 100644
--- a/test/pecos/xmc/xlinear/test_xlinear.py
+++ b/test/pecos/xmc/xlinear/test_xlinear.py
@@ -1138,7 +1138,6 @@ def test_on_model(model, X):
 
 
 def test_mmap(tmpdir):
-    from pathlib import Path
     from pecos.utils import smat_util
     from pecos.xmc.xlinear import XLinearModel
     from pecos.xmc import PostProcessor
@@ -1153,7 +1152,6 @@ def test_mmap(tmpdir):
 
     npz_model_folder = str(tmpdir.join("save_model_npz"))
     mmap_model_folder = str(tmpdir.join("save_model_mmap"))
-    Path(mmap_model_folder).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     py_model.save(npz_model_folder)
     XLinearModel.compile_mmap_model(npz_model_folder, mmap_model_folder)
     mmap_model = XLinearModel.load(mmap_model_folder, is_predict_only=True)