mtime = Xapian::sortable_unserialise (
                    document.get_value (NOTMUCH_VALUE_TIMESTAMP));
 
-               directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch,
-                                                           term.c_str() + 10);
+               directory = _notmuch_directory_create (notmuch, term.c_str() + 10,
+                                                      &status);
                notmuch_directory_set_mtime (directory, mtime);
                notmuch_directory_destroy (directory);
            }
     return relative;
 }
 
-notmuch_directory_t *
+notmuch_status_t
 notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
-                               const char *path)
+                               const char *path,
+                               notmuch_directory_t **directory)
 {
     notmuch_status_t status;
 
+    if (directory == NULL)
+       return NOTMUCH_STATUS_NULL_POINTER;
+    *directory = NULL;
+
+    /* XXX Handle read-only databases properly */
+    if (notmuch->mode == NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_ONLY)
+       return NOTMUCH_STATUS_READ_ONLY_DATABASE;
+
     try {
-       return _notmuch_directory_create (notmuch, path, &status);
+       *directory = _notmuch_directory_create (notmuch, path, &status);
     } catch (const Xapian::Error &error) {
        fprintf (stderr, "A Xapian exception occurred getting directory: %s.\n",
                 error.get_msg().c_str());
        notmuch->exception_reported = TRUE;
-       return NULL;
+       status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION;
     }
+    return status;
 }
 
 /* Allocate a document ID that satisfies the following criteria:
 
  * (see notmuch_database_get_path), or else should be an absolute path
  * with initial components that match the path of 'database'.
  *
- * Can return NULL if a Xapian exception occurs.
+ * Note: Currently this will create the directory object if it doesn't
+ * exist.  In the future, when a directory object does not exist this
+ * will return NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS and set *directory to NULL.
+ * Callers should be prepared for this.
+ *
+ * Return value:
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS: Successfully retrieved directory.
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_NULL_POINTER: The given 'directory' argument is NULL.
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION: A Xapian exception occurred;
+ *     directory not retrieved.
+ *
+ * NOTMUCH_STATUS_READ_ONLY_DATABASE: Database was opened in read-only
+ *     mode so the directory cannot be created (this case will be
+ *     removed in the future).
  */
-notmuch_directory_t *
+notmuch_status_t
 notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch_database_t *database,
-                               const char *path);
+                               const char *path,
+                               notmuch_directory_t **directory);
 
 /* Add a new message to the given notmuch database or associate an
  * additional filename with an existing message.
 
     notmuch_status_t status, ret = NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
     notmuch_message_t *message = NULL;
     struct dirent **fs_entries = NULL;
-    int i, num_fs_entries;
+    int i, num_fs_entries = 0;
     notmuch_directory_t *directory;
     notmuch_filenames_t *db_files = NULL;
     notmuch_filenames_t *db_subdirs = NULL;
 
     fs_mtime = st.st_mtime;
 
-    directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path);
-    db_mtime = notmuch_directory_get_mtime (directory);
+    status = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path, &directory);
+    if (status) {
+       ret = status;
+       goto DONE;
+    }
+    db_mtime = directory ? notmuch_directory_get_mtime (directory) : 0;
 
     new_directory = db_mtime ? FALSE : TRUE;
 
      * by a new out-argument, or by recording this information and
      * providing an accessor.
      */
-    if (new_directory)
+    if (new_directory && directory)
        notmuch_directory_set_mtime (directory, -1);
 
     /* If the database knows about this directory, then we sort based
     notmuch_filenames_t *files, *subdirs;
     char *absolute;
 
-    directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path);
+    status = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, path, &directory);
+    if (status || !directory)
+       return status;
 
     for (files = notmuch_directory_get_child_files (directory);
         notmuch_filenames_valid (files);
     }
 
     for (f = add_files_state.directory_mtimes->head; f && !interrupted; f = f->next) {
+       notmuch_status_t status;
        notmuch_directory_t *directory;
-       directory = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, f->filename);
-       if (directory) {
+       status = notmuch_database_get_directory (notmuch, f->filename, &directory);
+       if (status == NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS && directory) {
            notmuch_directory_set_mtime (directory, f->mtime);
            notmuch_directory_destroy (directory);
        }