diff --git a/src/aman.py b/src/aman.py
index dc8f227..c41bfd5 100755
--- a/src/aman.py
+++ b/src/aman.py
@@ -470,6 +470,7 @@ def _init_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
 def _run_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     global _LOCK_HANDLE
     config_path = Path(args.config) if args.config else DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH
+    config_existed_before_start = config_path.exists()
 
     try:
         cfg = load(str(config_path))
@@ -489,6 +490,9 @@ def _run_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
         str(config_path),
         json.dumps(redacted_dict(cfg), indent=2),
     )
+    if not config_existed_before_start and config_path.exists():
+        logging.info("created default config at %s", config_path)
+        logging.info("next step: run `aman doctor --config %s`", config_path)
     logging.info(
         "runtime: pid=%s session=%s display=%s wayland_display=%s verbose=%s dry_run=%s",
         os.getpid(),
diff --git a/tests/test_aman_cli.py b/tests/test_aman_cli.py
index 7f47b17..c467225 100644
--- a/tests/test_aman_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_aman_cli.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import io
 import json
 import sys
+import tempfile
 import unittest
 from pathlib import Path
 from unittest.mock import patch
@@ -53,6 +54,39 @@ class AmanCliTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(exit_code, 2)
         self.assertIn("[FAIL] config.load", out.getvalue())
 
+    def test_init_command_creates_default_config(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            path = Path(td) / "config.json"
+            args = aman._parse_cli_args(["init", "--config", str(path)])
+
+            exit_code = aman._init_command(args)
+            self.assertEqual(exit_code, 0)
+            self.assertTrue(path.exists())
+            payload = json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            self.assertIn("daemon", payload)
+
+    def test_init_command_refuses_overwrite_without_force(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            path = Path(td) / "config.json"
+            path.write_text('{"daemon":{"hotkey":"Super+m"}}\n', encoding="utf-8")
+            args = aman._parse_cli_args(["init", "--config", str(path)])
+
+            exit_code = aman._init_command(args)
+            self.assertEqual(exit_code, 1)
+            self.assertIn("Super+m", path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+    def test_init_command_force_overwrites_existing_config(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            path = Path(td) / "config.json"
+            path.write_text('{"daemon":{"hotkey":"Super+m"}}\n', encoding="utf-8")
+            args = aman._parse_cli_args(["init", "--config", str(path), "--force"])
+
+            exit_code = aman._init_command(args)
+            self.assertEqual(exit_code, 0)
+            payload = json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            self.assertEqual(payload["daemon"]["hotkey"], "Cmd+m")
+
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()