Index: src/java/org/apache/fop/render/afp/AFPRendererConfigurator.java
===================================================================
--- src/java/org/apache/fop/render/afp/AFPRendererConfigurator.java	(revision 781842)
+++ src/java/org/apache/fop/render/afp/AFPRendererConfigurator.java	(working copy)
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 package org.apache.fop.render.afp;
 
 import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -318,17 +319,22 @@
             String resourceGroupDest = null;
             try {
                 resourceGroupDest = resourceGroupFileCfg.getValue();
+                if (resourceGroupDest != null) {
+                    File resourceGroupFile = new File(resourceGroupDest);
+                    resourceGroupFile.createNewFile();
+                    if (resourceGroupFile.canWrite()) {
+                        customizable.setDefaultResourceGroupFilePath(resourceGroupDest);
+                    } else {
+                        log.warn("Unable to write to default external resource group file '"
+                                    + resourceGroupDest + "'");
+                    }
+                }
             } catch (ConfigurationException e) {
                 LogUtil.handleException(log, e,
                         userAgent.getFactory().validateUserConfigStrictly());
+            } catch (IOException ioe) {
+                throw new FOPException("Could not create default external resource group file", ioe);
             }
-            File resourceGroupFile = new File(resourceGroupDest);
-            if (resourceGroupFile.canWrite()) {
-                customizable.setDefaultResourceGroupFilePath(resourceGroupDest);
-            } else {
-                log.warn("Unable to write to default external resource group file '"
-                            + resourceGroupDest + "'");
-            }
         }
 
         Configuration defaultResourceLevelCfg = cfg.getChild("default-resource-levels", false);