diff --git a/src/diskreader.cxx b/src/diskreader.cxx
index 37ad497..274a2c7 100644
--- a/src/diskreader.cxx
+++ b/src/diskreader.cxx
@@ -71,12 +71,14 @@ int DiskReader::loadPreferences()
     }
     
     
-    cJSON* resample = cJSON_GetObjectItem( preferencesJson, "defaultControllers" );
+    cJSON* resample = cJSON_GetObjectItem( preferencesJson, "resampleQuality" );
     if ( resample )
     {
       resampleQuality = resample->valueint;
       if ( resampleQuality == 0 )
+      {
         LUPPP_NOTE("Using Linear resampling, may reduce quality. Check .config/openAV/luppp/luppp.prfs");
+      }
     }
     cJSON* ctlrs = cJSON_GetObjectItem( preferencesJson, "defaultControllers" );
     if ( ctlrs )
@@ -110,7 +112,11 @@ int DiskReader::loadPreferences()
   {
     // empty file / file no exists:
     LUPPP_WARN("Preferences, file doesn't exist: ~/.config/openAV/luppp/luppp.prefs");
-    return LUPPP_RETURN_ERROR;
+    
+    // so write default file
+    gui->getDiskWriter()->writeDefaultConfigToUserHome();
+    
+    return LUPPP_RETURN_OK;
   }
   
   return LUPPP_RETURN_OK;
diff --git a/src/diskwriter.cxx b/src/diskwriter.cxx
index 318ede8..78fa79c 100644
--- a/src/diskwriter.cxx
+++ b/src/diskwriter.cxx
@@ -487,3 +487,42 @@ int DiskWriter::writeSession()
   
   return LUPPP_RETURN_OK;
 }
+
+
+void DiskWriter::writeDefaultConfigToUserHome()
+{
+  LUPPP_NOTE("Writing default preferences file.");
+  
+  cJSON* prfs = cJSON_CreateObject();
+  
+  // "__COMMENT__"         : "users home + <whatever it says here>"
+  // "saveDirectory"       : "luppp"
+  cJSON_AddItemToObject  ( prfs, "__COMMENT__",
+            cJSON_CreateString("users home + <whatever it says here>") );
+  cJSON_AddItemToObject  ( prfs, "saveDirectory", cJSON_CreateString( "luppp" ));
+  
+  
+  // "__COMMENT__"         : "0 = LINEAR, 1 = SINC_FASTEST, 2 = SINC_BEST",
+  // "resampleQuality"     : 2
+  cJSON_AddItemToObject  ( prfs, "__COMMENT__",
+            cJSON_CreateString("0 = LINEAR, 1 = SINC_FASTEST, 2 = SINC_BEST") );
+  cJSON_AddNumberToObject( prfs, "resampleQuality", 1 );
+  
+  // "defaultControllers"  : [],
+  cJSON* defCtrls = cJSON_CreateArray();
+  cJSON_AddItemToObject( prfs, "defaultControllers", defCtrls );
+  
+  
+  // test output on console
+  // cout << endl << cJSON_Print( prfs ) << endl << endl;
+  
+  
+  // write JSON to .config/openAV/luppp/luppp.prfs
+  stringstream f;
+  f << getenv("HOME") << "/.config/openAV/luppp/luppp.prfs";
+  
+  ofstream outFile;
+  outFile.open ( f.str().c_str() );
+  outFile << cJSON_Print( prfs );
+  outFile.close();
+}
diff --git a/src/diskwriter.hxx b/src/diskwriter.hxx
index 75b80dc..3cc23e7 100644
--- a/src/diskwriter.hxx
+++ b/src/diskwriter.hxx
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ class DiskWriter
     /// writes a controller definition .ctlr JSON file from a GenericMIDI instance
     int writeControllerFile( Controller* c );
     
+    /// writes default config file to users home if it doesn't exist
+    void writeDefaultConfigToUserHome();
     
 #ifdef BUILD_TESTS
     int runTests();