diff --git a/py/visdom/VERSION b/py/visdom/VERSION
index e2f71472..71790396 100644
--- a/py/visdom/VERSION
+++ b/py/visdom/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.2.2.post1
+0.2.3
diff --git a/py/visdom/server/app.py b/py/visdom/server/app.py
index 65ea6c36..e6993b6f 100644
--- a/py/visdom/server/app.py
+++ b/py/visdom/server/app.py
@@ -144,12 +144,13 @@ def load_layouts(self):
                 RuntimeWarning
             )
             return ""
-        layout_filepath = os.path.join(self.env_path, 'view', LAYOUT_FILE)
-        ensure_dir_exists(layout_filepath)
+        layout_dir = os.path.join(self.env_path, 'view')
+        layout_filepath = os.path.join(layout_dir, LAYOUT_FILE)
         if os.path.isfile(layout_filepath):
             with open(layout_filepath, 'r') as fn:
                 return fn.read()
         else:
+            ensure_dir_exists(layout_dir)
             return ""
 
     def load_state(self):
diff --git a/py/visdom/server/build.py b/py/visdom/server/build.py
index c6d7c148..f7e64f68 100644
--- a/py/visdom/server/build.py
+++ b/py/visdom/server/build.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import visdom
 from urllib import request
 from urllib.error import HTTPError, URLError
-from visdom.utils.shared_utils import ensure_dir_exists, get_visdom_path
+from visdom.utils.shared_utils import get_visdom_path
 
 
 def download_scripts(proxies=None, install_dir=None):
diff --git a/py/visdom/server/run_server.py b/py/visdom/server/run_server.py
index ca739796..bd4b2e53 100644
--- a/py/visdom/server/run_server.py
+++ b/py/visdom/server/run_server.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ def start_server(port=DEFAULT_PORT, hostname=DEFAULT_HOSTNAME,
     else:
         app.listen(port, max_buffer_size=1024 ** 3)
     logging.info("Application Started")
+    logging.info(f"Working directory: {os.path.abspath(env_path)}")
 
     if "HOSTNAME" in os.environ and hostname == DEFAULT_HOSTNAME:
         hostname = os.environ["HOSTNAME"]
diff --git a/py/visdom/utils/server_utils.py b/py/visdom/utils/server_utils.py
index 57bcf728..6a81fc88 100644
--- a/py/visdom/utils/server_utils.py
+++ b/py/visdom/utils/server_utils.py
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@
 from visdom.utils.shared_utils import (
     warn_once,
     get_rand_id,
-    get_new_window_id,
-    ensure_dir_exists,
+    get_new_window_id
 )
 
 
diff --git a/py/visdom/utils/shared_utils.py b/py/visdom/utils/shared_utils.py
index 833095ac..af2a8b4d 100644
--- a/py/visdom/utils/shared_utils.py
+++ b/py/visdom/utils/shared_utils.py
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ def get_new_window_id():
 
 
 def ensure_dir_exists(path):
-    """Make sure the parent dir exists for path so we can write a file."""
+    """Make sure the dir exists so we can write a file."""
     try:
-        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(path)))
+        os.makedirs(os.path.abspath(path))
     except OSError as e1:
         assert e1.errno == 17  # errno.EEXIST