diff --git a/generator/generator_tool/generator_tool.cpp b/generator/generator_tool/generator_tool.cpp
index 06138dea2b..709dff1b47 100644
--- a/generator/generator_tool/generator_tool.cpp
+++ b/generator/generator_tool/generator_tool.cpp
@@ -223,12 +223,11 @@ MAIN_WITH_ERROR_HANDLING([](int argc, char ** argv)
     pl.SetResourceDir(FLAGS_user_resource_path);
     pl.SetSettingsDir(FLAGS_user_resource_path);
   }
+  if (!FLAGS_data_path.empty())
+    pl.SetWritableDirForTests(FLAGS_data_path);
 
-  string const path =
-      FLAGS_data_path.empty() ? pl.WritableDir() : base::AddSlashIfNeeded(FLAGS_data_path);
-
-  // So that stray GetWritablePathForFile calls do not crash the generator.
-  pl.SetWritableDirForTests(path);
+  std::string const path = pl.WritableDir();
+  CHECK(!path.empty(), ("Set --data_path to use generator toolchain."));
 
   feature::GenerateInfo genInfo;
   genInfo.m_verbose = FLAGS_verbose;
diff --git a/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/coastline.py b/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/coastline.py
index 53ed8e51be..ede0117b89 100644
--- a/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/coastline.py
+++ b/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/coastline.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ def make_coastline(env: Env):
         env.gen_tool,
         out=env.get_subprocess_out(),
         err=env.get_subprocess_out(),
+        data_path=env.paths.data_path,
         intermediate_data_path=env.paths.coastline_path,
         osm_file_type="o5m",
         osm_file_name=coastline_o5m,
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ def make_coastline(env: Env):
         env.gen_tool,
         out=env.get_subprocess_out(),
         err=env.get_subprocess_out(),
+        data_path=env.paths.data_path,
         intermediate_data_path=env.paths.coastline_path,
         osm_file_type="o5m",
         osm_file_name=coastline_o5m,
diff --git a/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/stages_declaration.py b/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/stages_declaration.py
index 27a3499b74..d339608a8c 100644
--- a/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/stages_declaration.py
+++ b/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/stages_declaration.py
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ class StageDownloadDescriptions(Stage):
             env.gen_tool,
             out=env.get_subprocess_out(),
             err=env.get_subprocess_out(),
+            data_path=env.paths.data_path,
             intermediate_data_path=env.paths.intermediate_data_path,
             cache_path=env.paths.cache_path,
             user_resource_path=env.paths.user_resource_path,
diff --git a/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/steps.py b/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/steps.py
index 819be10907..3df0e0f312 100644
--- a/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/steps.py
+++ b/tools/python/maps_generator/generator/steps.py
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ def step_preprocess(env: Env, **kwargs):
         env.gen_tool,
         out=env.get_subprocess_out(),
         err=env.get_subprocess_out(),
+        data_path=env.paths.data_path,
         intermediate_data_path=env.paths.intermediate_data_path,
         cache_path=env.paths.cache_path,
         osm_file_type="o5m",