diff --git a/src/lang.h b/src/lang.h
index c4f8412..c686237 100644
--- a/src/lang.h
+++ b/src/lang.h
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@
 #define LY_LANG_PASSWORD "password : "
 
 /* ioctl */
-#define LY_ERR_FD "Failed to create the console file descriptor"
-#define LY_ERR_FD_ADVICE "(ly probably wasn't run with enough privileges)"
+#define LY_ERR_FD_CONSOLE "Failed to create the console file descriptor"
+#define LY_ERR_FD_CONSOLE_ADVICE "(ly probably wasn't run with enough privileges)"
+#define LY_ERR_FD_CFG_SAVE "Failed to create the config file"
 
 /* pam */
 #define LY_ERR_PAM_BUF "Memory buffer error"
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 700e7eb..ff34556 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -58,11 +58,20 @@ int main(void)
 
 	if(!console)
 	{
-		fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", LY_ERR_FD);
-		fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", LY_ERR_FD_ADVICE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", LY_ERR_FD_CONSOLE);
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", LY_ERR_FD_CONSOLE_ADVICE);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	/* create LY_CFG_SAVE if it doesn't exist yet */
+	FILE* cfg_save = fopen(LY_CFG_SAVE, "ab+");
+	if (!cfg_save)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s\n", LY_ERR_FD_CFG_SAVE, LY_CFG_SAVE);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	fclose(cfg_save);
+
 	kernel_log(0);
 	/* initializes ncurses UI */
 	init_ncurses(console);
@@ -102,8 +111,7 @@ int main(void)
 					/* saves the username and DE if enabled */
 					if(LY_CFG_WRITE_SAVE)
 					{
-						FILE* file = fopen(LY_CFG_SAVE, "ab+");
-						file = fopen(LY_CFG_SAVE, "wb");
+						FILE* file = fopen(LY_CFG_SAVE, "wb");
 						fprintf(file, "%s\n%d", username, de_id);
 						fclose(file);
 					}
diff --git a/src/ncui.c b/src/ncui.c
index 70f4c63..568d7a1 100644
--- a/src/ncui.c
+++ b/src/ncui.c
@@ -40,9 +40,7 @@ void init_form(struct ncform* form, char** list, int max_de, int* de_id)
 	char line[LY_LIM_LINE_FILE];
 	char user[LY_LIM_LINE_FILE];
 	int de;
-	/* creates the file if it can't be found */
-	file = fopen(LY_CFG_SAVE, "ab+");
-	fclose(file);
+
 	/* opens the file */
 	file = fopen(LY_CFG_SAVE, "rb");
 	memset(user, '\0', LY_LIM_LINE_FILE);