diff --git a/.changeset/cli-out-dirs.md b/.changeset/cli-out-dirs.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..90275966
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/cli-out-dirs.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@stats-forge/github-stats-forge-cli': patch
+---
+
+fix: create the folders `--out` and a saved card's path name, rather than failing on a folder that is not there yet
diff --git a/apps/docs/src/content/docs/docs/usage/cli.md b/apps/docs/src/content/docs/docs/usage/cli.md
index 7045cd12..09ef0e6a 100644
--- a/apps/docs/src/content/docs/docs/usage/cli.md
+++ b/apps/docs/src/content/docs/docs/usage/cli.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ the prompt, which hides what you type.
 | Flag                | What it does                                                                                                    |
 | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `-c, --card <id>`   | Skip the first prompt: `stats`, `top-langs`, `pin`, `org`, `org-activity`, `contributed-to`, `gist`, `wakatime` |
-| `-o, --out <file>`  | Where to write the SVG; the default is named after the card and its subject                                     |
+| `-o, --out <file>`  | Where to write the SVG, creating its folders; the default is named after the card and its subject               |
 | `--config <file>`   | A saved card to load, and where "Save these options" writes                                                     |
 | `--options <query>` | Options as a query string, layered over `--config`                                                              |
 | `-g, --generate`    | Render what `--config` holds and exit, without opening the menu                                                 |
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
index d8e7aeae..ca2f43b0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
-import { readFile, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
-import { relative, resolve } from 'node:path';
+import { mkdir, readFile, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { dirname, relative, resolve } from 'node:path';
 import { formatWithOptions, parseArgs } from 'node:util';
 
 import type { CardKind } from '@stats-forge/github-stats-forge-catalog';
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ const renderAndWrite = async (
   }
 
   const file = outFile(card, query, out);
+  await mkdir(dirname(file), { recursive: true });
   await writeFile(file, rendered.content, 'utf8');
   const written = relative(process.cwd(), file);
   process.stdout.write(`Wrote ${written}\n`);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/saved-card.ts b/packages/cli/src/saved-card.ts
index 789c8361..42262aeb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/saved-card.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/saved-card.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
  */
 
 import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
-import { readFile, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
-import { resolve } from 'node:path';
+import { mkdir, readFile, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { dirname, resolve } from 'node:path';
 
 import type { CardKind } from '@stats-forge/github-stats-forge-catalog';
 import {
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ export const writeSavedCard = async (
   options: Record<string, string>,
 ): Promise<string> => {
   const file = resolve(process.cwd(), path);
+  await mkdir(dirname(file), { recursive: true });
   await writeFile(file, savedCardText(card, options), 'utf8');
   return file;
 };
diff --git a/packages/cli/tests/index.spec.ts b/packages/cli/tests/index.spec.ts
index 41f67a68..bde09c92 100644
--- a/packages/cli/tests/index.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/tests/index.spec.ts
@@ -227,6 +227,16 @@ describe('the command line', () => {
     expect(prompts.navigateOptions).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("creates --out's folders when they are not there yet", async () => {
+    render.mockResolvedValue(DRAWN);
+    const out = join(dir, 'cards', 'dark', 'card.svg');
+
+    const result = await run('--config', savedGist, '--generate', '--pat', 'ghp_x', '--out', out);
+
+    await expect(readFile(out, 'utf8')).resolves.toBe('<svg>the card</svg>');
+    expect(result.code).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it('reports a render that failed, writes nothing, and exits 1', async () => {
     render.mockResolvedValue(REFUSED);
     const out = join(dir, 'card.svg');
diff --git a/packages/cli/tests/saved-card.spec.ts b/packages/cli/tests/saved-card.spec.ts
index c7731dd0..8965722a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/tests/saved-card.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/tests/saved-card.spec.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ describe(writeSavedCard, () => {
       show_icons: 'true',
     });
   });
+
+  it('creates the folders the path names', async () => {
+    const file = join(dir(), 'cards', 'card.json');
+
+    await writeSavedCard(file, card('stats'), { username: 'anuraghazra' });
+
+    await expect(readFile(file, 'utf8')).resolves.toContain('"username": "anuraghazra"');
+  });
 });
 
 describe(readSavedCard, () => {