diff -r 1d218f8898c9 tools/python/xen/xend/image.py
--- a/tools/python/xen/xend/image.py	Wed Apr 23 13:50:40 2008
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xend/image.py	Wed Apr 23 16:25:42 2008
@@ -205,9 +205,21 @@
         # If we use a device model, the pipes for communication between
         # blktapctrl and ioemu must be present before the devices are 
         # created (blktapctrl must access them for new block devices)
-        os.mkfifo('/var/run/tap/qemu-read-%d' % domid, 0600)
-        os.mkfifo('/var/run/tap/qemu-write-%d' % domid, 0600)
-        
+
+        # mkdir throws an exception if the path already exists
+        try:
+            os.mkdir('/var/run/tap', 0755)
+        except:
+            pass
+
+        try:
+            os.mkfifo('/var/run/tap/qemu-read-%d' % domid, 0600)
+            os.mkfifo('/var/run/tap/qemu-write-%d' % domid, 0600)
+        except OSError, e:
+            log.warn('Could not create blktap pipes for domain %d' % domid)
+            log.exception(e)
+            pass
+
 
     # Return a list of cmd line args to the device models based on the
     # xm config file