diff --git a/files/externallib.php b/files/externallib.php
index 40d7766a80b..eba388b1076 100755
--- a/files/externallib.php
+++ b/files/externallib.php
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class moodle_file_external extends external_api {
             throw new moodle_exception('nofile');
         }
         // saving file
-        make_upload_directory('temp/wsupload');
+        $dir = make_upload_directory('temp/wsupload');
 
         if (empty($fileinfo['filename'])) {
             $filename = uniqid('wsupload').'_'.time().'.tmp';