diff --git a/cmd/containerd/main.go b/cmd/containerd/main.go
index f9b5f5c..2a4135c 100644
--- a/cmd/containerd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/containerd/main.go
@@ -162,10 +162,22 @@ func before(context *cli.Context) error {
 		log.G(global).Infof("containerd default config written to %q", fh.Name())
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
-	if err := loadConfig(context.GlobalString("config")); err != nil &&
-		!os.IsNotExist(err) {
+	err := loadConfig(context.GlobalString("config"))
+	if err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		return err
+	} else if err != nil && os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		log.G(global).Infof("config %q does not exist. Creating it.", context.GlobalString("config"))
+		fh, err := os.Create(context.GlobalString("config"))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if _, err := conf.WriteTo(fh); err != nil {
+			fh.Close()
+			return err
+		}
+		fh.Close()
 	}
+
 	// the order for config vs flag values is that flags will always override
 	// the config values if they are set
 	if err := setLevel(context); err != nil {