diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 99a5201..b20954a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 * Only set client config after correct instance has been loaded #231
 * Do not unbind closed event before successful login #211
 * Add hint when account has been unlinked by client #171
+* Display a meaningful error message if login fails with EPERM #161
 
 
 ## 1.2.1
diff --git a/app/i18n/de-CH.json b/app/i18n/de-CH.json
index 6647238..7955ef6 100644
--- a/app/i18n/de-CH.json
+++ b/app/i18n/de-CH.json
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@
   "error.auth.credentials": "Authentifizierung fehlgeschlagen",
   "error.auth.mfaNotToken": "Der gewählte Account hat Multi Faktor Authentifizierung (MFA) aktiviert. MFA wird nur mit dem Login Flow \"token\" unterstüzt.",
   "error.auth.oidc": "Die Authentifizierung mit dem ausgewählten Identity Provider ist fehlgeschlagen.",
+  "error.auth.filesystem": "Das Balloon Verzeichniss konnte nicht erstellt werden. Bitte stelle sicher, das nicht bereits ein Verzeichnis besteht, und Balloon Schreibrechte hat.",
+  "error.auth.filesystem.path": "Pfad zum Balloon Verzeichnis: %s",
 
   "balloonDirSelector.title": "Speicherort für balloonDir wählen",
   "balloonDirSelector.error.title": "Fehler",
diff --git a/app/i18n/en-US.json b/app/i18n/en-US.json
index 58d1a3c..cc2b5b3 100644
--- a/app/i18n/en-US.json
+++ b/app/i18n/en-US.json
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@
   "error.auth.credentials": "Authentication failed",
   "error.auth.mfaNotToken": "The choosen account multi factor authentication (MFA) activated. MFA is only supported with the login flow \"token\".",
   "error.auth.oidc": "There was an error authenticating your account with the choosen identity provider.",
+  "error.auth.filesystem": "The balloon directory could not be created. Please make sure, there is no existing directory and that balloon has write access.",
+  "error.auth.filesystem.path": "Path to the balloon directory: %s",
 
   "balloonDirSelector.title": "Choose location for the balloon folder",
   "balloonDirSelector.error.title": "Error",
diff --git a/app/ui/startup/browser.js b/app/ui/startup/browser.js
index e302b5a..732bdd0 100644
--- a/app/ui/startup/browser.js
+++ b/app/ui/startup/browser.js
@@ -259,6 +259,11 @@ function authView() {
       case 'E_OIDC_AUTH_SERVER':
         $('#startup-auth-error-network-server').show();
       break;
+      case 'EPERM':
+        var pathMsg = i18n.__('error.auth.filesystem.path', [clientConfig.get('balloonDir')]);
+        $('#startup-auth-error-filesystem-path').html(pathMsg);
+        $('#startup-auth-error-filesystem').show();
+      break;
       default:
         $('#startup-auth-error-'+type).show();
       break;
diff --git a/app/ui/startup/index.html b/app/ui/startup/index.html
index 55e9884..b512f7c 100644
--- a/app/ui/startup/index.html
+++ b/app/ui/startup/index.html
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ <h1>{{i18n 'startup.server.title'}}</h1>
                 </form>
                 <div id="startup-auth-error">
                     <div id="startup-auth-error-network-server" class="error-message">{{i18n 'error.auth.network_server_error'}}</div>
+                    <div id="startup-auth-error-filesystem" class="error-message">{{i18n 'error.auth.filesystem'}} <span id="startup-auth-error-filesystem-path"></span></div>
                     <div id="startup-auth-error-credentials" class="error-message">{{i18n 'error.auth.credentials'}}</div>
                     <div id="startup-auth-error-mfa-not-token" class="error-message">{{i18n 'error.auth.mfaNotToken'}}</div>
                     <div id="startup-auth-error-oidc" class="error-message">{{i18n 'error.auth.oidc'}}</div>