diff --git a/src/Illuminate/Filesystem/LockableFile.php b/src/Illuminate/Filesystem/LockableFile.php
index edb801f4847b..a095d4e9a9b5 100644
--- a/src/Illuminate/Filesystem/LockableFile.php
+++ b/src/Illuminate/Filesystem/LockableFile.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Illuminate\Filesystem;
 
+use Exception;
 use Illuminate\Contracts\Filesystem\LockTimeoutException;
 
 class LockableFile
@@ -65,6 +66,10 @@ protected function ensureDirectoryExists($path)
     protected function createResource($path, $mode)
     {
         $this->handle = @fopen($path, $mode);
+
+        if (! $this->handle) {
+            throw new Exception('Unable to create lockable file: '.$path.'. Please ensure you have permission to create files in this location.');
+        }
     }
 
     /**