diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8b6ef544f..b13666b5f 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@
 
 ------ reality -----------------------------------
 
+0.9.7
+  5/17/2008
+    + Task offers to create a sample ~/.taskrc file if one is not found.
+    + Task offers to create a ~/.task directory if one is not found.
+
 0.9.6
   5/13/208
     + Replaced color management code.
diff --git a/src/.deps/Config.Po b/src/.deps/Config.Po
index 2ded9a7ad..063845fc7 100644
--- a/src/.deps/Config.Po
+++ b/src/.deps/Config.Po
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ Config.o Config.o: Config.cpp /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/iostream \
   /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/istream.tcc /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/fstream \
   /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/i686-apple-darwin9/bits/basic_file.h \
   /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/fstream.tcc /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/sstream \
-  /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/sstream.tcc task.h \
+  /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/sstream.tcc /usr/include/sys/stat.h task.h \
   /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/vector /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/stl_vector.h \
   /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/stl_bvector.h \
   /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/vector.tcc /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/map \
@@ -366,6 +366,8 @@ Config.o Config.o: Config.cpp /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/iostream \
 
 /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/bits/sstream.tcc:
 
+/usr/include/sys/stat.h:
+
 task.h:
 
 /usr/include/c++/4.0.0/vector:
diff --git a/src/Config.cpp b/src/Config.cpp
index 4cf08d31a..38dcbe2ad 100644
--- a/src/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/Config.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <sstream>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include "task.h"
 #include "Config.h"
 
@@ -60,6 +61,67 @@ bool Config::load (const std::string& file)
   return false;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void Config::createDefault (const std::string& file)
+{
+  if (confirm (
+        "A configuration file could not be found in "
+      + file
+      + "\n\n"
+      + "Would you like a sample .taskrc created, so task can proceed?"))
+  {
+    // Determine a path to the task directory.
+    std::string taskDir = "";
+    for (int i = file.length () - 1; i >= 0; --i)
+    {
+      if (file[i] == '/')
+      {
+        taskDir = file.substr (0, i) + "/.task";
+        if (-1 == access (taskDir.c_str (), F_OK))
+          mkdir (taskDir.c_str (), S_IRWXU);
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (taskDir != "")
+    {
+      FILE* out;
+      if (out = fopen (file.c_str (), "w"))
+      {
+        fprintf (out, "data.location=%s\n", taskDir.c_str ());
+        fprintf (out, "command.logging=off\n");
+        fprintf (out, "confirmation=yes\n");
+        fprintf (out, "#nag=Note: try to stick to high priority tasks.  See \"task next\".\n");
+        fprintf (out, "next=2\n");
+        fprintf (out, "curses=on\n");
+        fprintf (out, "color=on\n");
+
+        fprintf (out, "color.overdue=red\n");
+        fprintf (out, "#color.due=on yellow\n");
+        fprintf (out, "#color.pri.H=on_red\n");
+        fprintf (out, "#color.pri.M=on_yellow\n");
+        fprintf (out, "#color.pri.L=on_green\n");
+        fprintf (out, "color.active=cyan\n");
+        fprintf (out, "color.tagged=yellow\n");
+
+        fclose (out);
+
+        set ("data.location", taskDir);
+        set ("command.logging", "off");
+        set ("confirmation", "yes");
+        set ("next", 2);
+        set ("curses", "on");
+        set ("color", "on");
+        set ("color.overdue", "red");
+        set ("color.active", "cyan");
+        set ("color.tagged", "yellow");
+
+        std::cout << "Done." << std::endl;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Return the configuration value given the specified key.
 const std::string& Config::get (const char* key)
diff --git a/src/Config.h b/src/Config.h
index 8d9be30cc..82bc4ff99 100644
--- a/src/Config.h
+++ b/src/Config.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ public:
   Config (const std::string&);
 
   bool load (const std::string&);
+  void createDefault (const std::string&);
+
   const std::string& get (const char*);
   const std::string& get (const char*, const char*);
   const std::string& get (const std::string&);
diff --git a/src/task.cpp b/src/task.cpp
index 54e55618b..517b6e699 100644
--- a/src/task.cpp
+++ b/src/task.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-// Copyright 2006 - 2008 Paul Beckingham.
+// Copyright 2006 - 2008, Paul Beckingham.
 // All rights reserved.
 //
 //
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ void usage (Config& conf)
   }
 #endif
 
-  table.addColumn ("");
-  table.addColumn ("");
-  table.addColumn ("");
+  table.addColumn (" ");
+  table.addColumn (" ");
+  table.addColumn (" ");
 
   table.setColumnJustification (0, Table::left);
   table.setColumnJustification (1, Table::left);
@@ -180,11 +180,13 @@ void usage (Config& conf)
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 int main (int argc, char** argv)
 {
+// TODO Find out what this is, and either promote it to live code, or remove it.
 //  std::set_terminate (__gnu_cxx::__verbose_terminate_handler);
 
   try
   {
-    // Load the config file from the home directory.
+    // Load the config file from the home directory.  If the file cannot be
+    // found, offer to create a sample one.
     Config conf;
     struct passwd* pw = getpwuid (getuid ());
     if (!pw)
@@ -192,7 +194,8 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
 
     std::string home = pw->pw_dir;
     home += "/.taskrc";
-    conf.load (home);
+    if (!conf.load (home))
+      conf.createDefault (home);
 
     TDB tdb;
     tdb.dataDirectory (conf.get ("data.location"));