diff --git a/backend/config/config_manager.py b/backend/config/config_manager.py
index 92f89b6bc..4655f1774 100644
--- a/backend/config/config_manager.py
+++ b/backend/config/config_manager.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import glob
 import json
 import os
 import sys
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Final, NotRequired, TypedDict
 
 import pydash
@@ -178,9 +179,7 @@ class ConfigManager:
             # Also check if the config file is writable
             self._config_file_writable = os.access(self.config_file, os.W_OK)
         except FileNotFoundError:
-            log.critical(
-                "Config file not found! Any changes made to the configuration will not persist after the application restarts."
-            )
+            self._create_missing_config_file()
         except PermissionError:
             log.warning(
                 "Config file not writable! Any changes made to the configuration will not persist after the application restarts."
@@ -190,6 +189,28 @@ class ConfigManager:
             self._parse_config()
             self._validate_config()
 
+    def _create_missing_config_file(self) -> None:
+        log.warning(
+            f"Config file not found, creating an empty config at {hl(self.config_file, BLUE)}"
+        )
+
+        try:
+            config_file = Path(self.config_file)
+            config_file.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            config_file.touch(exist_ok=True)
+
+            # Reset any previously loaded singleton state so parsing reflects
+            # the newly created empty config file.
+            self._raw_config = {}
+            self._config_file_mounted = True
+            self._config_file_writable = os.access(self.config_file, os.W_OK)
+        except PermissionError:
+            self._config_file_mounted = False
+            self._config_file_writable = False
+            log.critical(
+                "Config file not found and could not be created! Any changes made to the configuration will not persist after the application restarts."
+            )
+
     @staticmethod
     def get_db_engine() -> URL:
         """Builds the database connection string using environment variables
diff --git a/backend/tests/config/test_config_loader.py b/backend/tests/config/test_config_loader.py
index 37c29cfa4..72b57f940 100644
--- a/backend/tests/config/test_config_loader.py
+++ b/backend/tests/config/test_config_loader.py
@@ -113,3 +113,15 @@ def test_empty_config_loader():
     assert loader.config.EJS_CONTROLS == {}
     assert loader.config.GAMELIST_MEDIA_THUMBNAIL == "box2d"
     assert loader.config.GAMELIST_MEDIA_IMAGE == "screenshot"
+
+
+def test_missing_config_file_is_created(tmp_path):
+    config_file = tmp_path / "config" / "config.yml"
+
+    loader = ConfigManager(str(config_file))
+
+    assert config_file.parent.exists()
+    assert config_file.exists()
+    assert config_file.read_text() == ""
+    assert loader.config.CONFIG_FILE_MOUNTED
+    assert loader.config.CONFIG_FILE_WRITABLE