diff --git a/core/server/utils/startup-check.js b/core/server/utils/startup-check.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c481cf9cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/server/utils/startup-check.js
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+var packages = require('../../../package.json'),
+    path = require('path'),
+    crypto = require('crypto'),
+    fs = require('fs'),
+    mode = process.env.NODE_ENV === undefined ? 'development' : process.env.NODE_ENV,
+    appRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../../'),
+    configFilePath = process.env.GHOST_CONFIG || path.join(appRoot, 'config.js'),
+    checks;
+
+checks = {
+    check: function check() {
+        this.packages();
+        this.contentPath();
+        this.sqlite();
+    },
+
+    // Make sure package.json dependencies have been installed.
+    packages: function checkPackages() {
+        if (mode !== 'production' && mode !== 'development') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var errors = [];
+
+        Object.keys(packages.dependencies).forEach(function (p) {
+            try {
+                require.resolve(p);
+            } catch (e) {
+                errors.push(e.message);
+            }
+        });
+
+        if (!errors.length) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        errors = errors.join('\n  ');
+
+        console.error('\x1B[31mERROR: Ghost is unable to start due to missing dependencies:\033[0m\n  ' + errors);
+        console.error('\x1B[32m\nPlease run `npm install --production` and try starting Ghost again.');
+        console.error('\x1B[32mHelp and documentation can be found at http://support.ghost.org.\033[0m\n');
+
+        process.exit(0);
+    },
+
+    // Check content path permissions
+    contentPath: function checkContentPaths() {
+        if (mode !== 'production' && mode !== 'development') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var configFile,
+            config,
+            contentPath,
+            contentSubPaths = ['apps', 'data', 'images', 'themes'],
+            fd,
+            errorHeader = '\x1B[31mERROR: Unable to access Ghost\'s content path:\033[0m',
+            errorHelp = '\x1B[32mCheck that the content path exists and file system permissions are correct.' +
+                '\nHelp and documentation can be found at http://support.ghost.org.\033[0m';
+
+        // Get the content path to test.  If it's defined in config.js use that, if not use the default
+        try {
+            configFile = require(configFilePath);
+            config = configFile[mode];
+
+            if (config && config.paths && config.paths.contentPath) {
+                contentPath = config.paths.contentPath;
+            } else {
+                contentPath = path.join(appRoot, 'content');
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            // If config.js doesn't exist yet, check the default content path location
+            contentPath = path.join(appRoot, 'content');
+        }
+
+        // Use all sync io calls so that we stay in this function until all checks are complete
+
+        // Check the root content path
+        try {
+            fd = fs.openSync(contentPath, 'r');
+            fs.closeSync(fd);
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.error(errorHeader);
+            console.error('  ' + e.message);
+            console.error('\n' + errorHelp);
+
+            process.exit(0);
+        }
+
+        // Check each of the content path subdirectories
+        try {
+            contentSubPaths.forEach(function (sub) {
+                var dir = path.join(contentPath, sub),
+                    randomFile = path.join(dir, crypto.randomBytes(8).toString('hex'));
+
+                fd = fs.openSync(dir, 'r');
+                fs.closeSync(fd);
+
+                // Check write access to directory by attempting to create a random file
+                fd = fs.openSync(randomFile, 'wx+');
+                fs.closeSync(fd);
+                fs.unlinkSync(randomFile);
+            });
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.error(errorHeader);
+            console.error('  ' + e.message);
+            console.error('\n' + errorHelp);
+
+            process.exit(0);
+        }
+    },
+
+    // Make sure sqlite3 database is available for read/write
+    sqlite: function checkSqlite() {
+        if (mode !== 'production' && mode !== 'development') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var configFile,
+            config,
+            appRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../../'),
+            dbPath,
+            fd;
+
+        try {
+            configFile = require(configFilePath);
+            config = configFile[mode];
+
+            // Abort check if database type is not sqlite3
+            if (config && config.database && config.database.client !== 'sqlite3') {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (config && config.database && config.database.connection) {
+                dbPath = config.database.connection.filename;
+            }
+        } catch (e) {
+            // If config.js doesn't exist, use the default path
+            dbPath = path.join(appRoot, 'content', 'data', mode === 'production' ? 'ghost.db' : 'ghost-dev.db');
+        }
+
+        // Check for read/write access on sqlite db file
+        try {
+            fd = fs.openSync(dbPath, 'r+');
+            fs.closeSync(fd);
+        } catch (e) {
+            // Database file not existing is not an error as sqlite will create it.
+            if (e.code === 'ENOENT') {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            console.error('\x1B[31mERROR: Unable to open sqlite3 database file for read/write\033[0m');
+            console.error('  ' + e.message);
+            console.error('\n\x1B[32mCheck that the sqlite3 database file permissions allow read and write access.');
+            console.error('Help and documentation can be found at http://support.ghost.org.\033[0m');
+
+            process.exit(0);
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+module.exports = checks;
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 70c93fb560..29b5fd7c9b 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -2,11 +2,21 @@
 // Orchestrates the loading of Ghost
 // When run from command line.
 
-var express = require('express'),
-    ghost   = require('./core'),
-    errors  = require('./core/server/errors'),
-    // Create our parent express app instance.
-    parentApp = express();
+var express,
+    ghost,
+    parentApp,
+    errors;
+
+// Make sure dependencies are installed and file system permissions are correct.
+require('./core/server/utils/startup-check').check();
+
+// Proceed with startup
+express = require('express');
+ghost = require('./core');
+errors = require('./core/server/errors');
+
+// Create our parent express app instance.
+parentApp = express();
 
 ghost().then(function (ghostServer) {
     // Mount our ghost instance on our desired subdirectory path if it exists.