diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 270f30cff..16da93e55 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+* Fixed: Atom can now be launched when ~/.atom/config.cson doesn't exist
 * Added: Initial collaboration sessions
 * Fixed: Empty lines being deleted via uppercase/downcase command
 * Fixed: Keybindings not working when using non-English keyboard language
diff --git a/spec/app/config-spec.coffee b/spec/app/config-spec.coffee
index 0e47a6fc3..cf0726384 100644
--- a/spec/app/config-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/config-spec.coffee
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 fs = require 'fs'
 fsUtils = require 'fs-utils'
 path = require 'path'
+CSON = require 'season'
 
 describe "Config", ->
   describe ".get(keyPath)", ->
@@ -210,6 +211,13 @@ describe "Config", ->
         config.set("hair", "blonde") # trigger a save
         expect(config.save).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 
+    describe "when the config file does not exist", ->
+      it "creates it with an empty object", ->
+        fsUtils.makeTree(config.configDirPath)
+        config.loadUserConfig()
+        expect(fsUtils.exists(config.configFilePath)).toBe true
+        expect(CSON.readFileSync(config.configFilePath)).toEqual {}
+
   describe ".observeUserConfig()", ->
     updatedHandler = null
 
diff --git a/src/app/config.coffee b/src/app/config.coffee
index 9def00a53..2b0f9dc37 100644
--- a/src/app/config.coffee
+++ b/src/app/config.coffee
@@ -66,16 +66,19 @@ class Config
     @observeUserConfig()
 
   loadUserConfig: ->
-    if fsUtils.exists(@configFilePath)
-      try
-        userConfig = CSON.readFileSync(@configFilePath)
-        _.extend(@settings, userConfig)
-        @configFileHasErrors = false
-        @trigger 'updated'
-      catch e
-        @configFileHasErrors = true
-        console.error "Failed to load user config '#{@configFilePath}'", e.message
-        console.error e.stack
+    if !fsUtils.exists(@configFilePath)
+      fsUtils.makeTree(path.dirname(@configFilePath))
+      CSON.writeFileSync(@configFilePath, {})
+
+    try
+      userConfig = CSON.readFileSync(@configFilePath)
+      _.extend(@settings, userConfig)
+      @configFileHasErrors = false
+      @trigger 'updated'
+    catch e
+      @configFileHasErrors = true
+      console.error "Failed to load user config '#{@configFilePath}'", e.message
+      console.error e.stack
 
   observeUserConfig: ->
     @watchSubscription ?= pathWatcher.watch @configFilePath, (eventType) =>