diff --git a/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md b/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md
index f9261a756..bb5da3bbe 100644
--- a/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md
+++ b/book/src/generated/typable-cmd.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 | `:buffer-next`, `:bn`, `:bnext` | Go to next buffer. |
 | `:buffer-previous`, `:bp`, `:bprev` | Go to previous buffer. |
 | `:write`, `:w` | Write changes to disk. Accepts an optional path (:write some/path.txt) |
+| `:write!`, `:w!` | Write changes to disk forcefully (creating necessary subdirectories). Accepts an optional path (:write some/path.txt) |
 | `:new`, `:n` | Create a new scratch buffer. |
 | `:format`, `:fmt` | Format the file using the LSP formatter. |
 | `:indent-style` | Set the indentation style for editing. ('t' for tabs or 1-8 for number of spaces.) |
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
index 8f74adb62..d158388fc 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
@@ -190,7 +190,11 @@ fn buffer_previous(
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn write_impl(cx: &mut compositor::Context, path: Option<&Cow<str>>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+fn write_impl(
+    cx: &mut compositor::Context,
+    path: Option<&Cow<str>>,
+    force: bool,
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let jobs = &mut cx.jobs;
     let doc = doc_mut!(cx.editor);
 
@@ -212,7 +216,7 @@ fn write_impl(cx: &mut compositor::Context, path: Option<&Cow<str>>) -> anyhow::
         jobs.callback(callback);
         shared
     });
-    let future = doc.format_and_save(fmt);
+    let future = doc.format_and_save(fmt, force);
     cx.jobs.add(Job::new(future).wait_before_exiting());
 
     if path.is_some() {
@@ -228,7 +232,15 @@ fn write(
     args: &[Cow<str>],
     _event: PromptEvent,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    write_impl(cx, args.first())
+    write_impl(cx, args.first(), false)
+}
+
+fn force_write(
+    cx: &mut compositor::Context,
+    args: &[Cow<str>],
+    _event: PromptEvent,
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    write_impl(cx, args.first(), true)
 }
 
 fn new_file(
@@ -381,7 +393,7 @@ fn write_quit(
     args: &[Cow<str>],
     event: PromptEvent,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    write_impl(cx, args.first())?;
+    write_impl(cx, args.first(), false)?;
     quit(cx, &[], event)
 }
 
@@ -390,7 +402,7 @@ fn force_write_quit(
     args: &[Cow<str>],
     event: PromptEvent,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    write_impl(cx, args.first())?;
+    write_impl(cx, args.first(), true)?;
     force_quit(cx, &[], event)
 }
 
@@ -447,7 +459,7 @@ fn write_all_impl(
             jobs.callback(callback);
             shared
         });
-        let future = doc.format_and_save(fmt);
+        let future = doc.format_and_save(fmt, force);
         jobs.add(Job::new(future).wait_before_exiting());
     }
 
@@ -1140,6 +1152,13 @@ pub const TYPABLE_COMMAND_LIST: &[TypableCommand] = &[
             fun: write,
             completer: Some(completers::filename),
         },
+        TypableCommand {
+            name: "write!",
+            aliases: &["w!"],
+            doc: "Write changes to disk forcefully (creating necessary subdirectories). Accepts an optional path (:write some/path.txt)",
+            fun: force_write,
+            completer: Some(completers::filename),
+        },
         TypableCommand {
             name: "new",
             aliases: &["n"],
diff --git a/helix-view/src/document.rs b/helix-view/src/document.rs
index 5d739af58..f4b4dc35f 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/document.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/document.rs
@@ -434,15 +434,16 @@ impl Document {
         Some(fut)
     }
 
-    pub fn save(&mut self) -> impl Future<Output = Result<(), anyhow::Error>> {
-        self.save_impl::<futures_util::future::Ready<_>>(None)
+    pub fn save(&mut self, force: bool) -> impl Future<Output = Result<(), anyhow::Error>> {
+        self.save_impl::<futures_util::future::Ready<_>>(None, force)
     }
 
     pub fn format_and_save(
         &mut self,
         formatting: Option<impl Future<Output = LspFormatting>>,
+        force: bool,
     ) -> impl Future<Output = anyhow::Result<()>> {
-        self.save_impl(formatting)
+        self.save_impl(formatting, force)
     }
 
     // TODO: do we need some way of ensuring two save operations on the same doc can't run at once?
@@ -454,6 +455,7 @@ impl Document {
     fn save_impl<F: Future<Output = LspFormatting>>(
         &mut self,
         formatting: Option<F>,
+        force: bool,
     ) -> impl Future<Output = Result<(), anyhow::Error>> {
         // we clone and move text + path into the future so that we asynchronously save the current
         // state without blocking any further edits.
@@ -475,7 +477,11 @@ impl Document {
             if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
                 // TODO: display a prompt asking the user if the directories should be created
                 if !parent.exists() {
-                    bail!("can't save file, parent directory does not exist");
+                    if force {
+                        std::fs::DirBuilder::new().recursive(true).create(parent)?;
+                    } else {
+                        bail!("can't save file, parent directory does not exist");
+                    }
                 }
             }