diff --git a/src/services/configService.js b/src/services/configService.js
index 66dd594..d17016b 100644
--- a/src/services/configService.js
+++ b/src/services/configService.js
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ export class ConfigService {
         this.saveConfig();
       } else {
         this.config = this.fs.readJsonFile(filePath);
+
+        if (this.config.codexRoot == undefined) {
+          this.config = defaultConfig;
+          this.saveConfig();
+        }
+
       }
     } catch (error) {
       console.error(
diff --git a/src/services/configService.test.js b/src/services/configService.test.js
index 2a83342..1e7cf04 100644
--- a/src/services/configService.test.js
+++ b/src/services/configService.test.js
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ describe("ConfigService", () => {
     it("loads the config.json file when it does exist", () => {
       mockFsService.isFile.mockReturnValue(true);
       const savedConfig = {
+        codexRoot: "defined",
         isTestConfig: "Yes, very",
       };
       mockFsService.readJsonFile.mockReturnValue(savedConfig);
@@ -64,6 +65,22 @@ describe("ConfigService", () => {
       expect(mockFsService.writeJsonFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(service.config).toEqual(savedConfig);
     });
+
+    it("saves the default config when config.json exists but doesn't define the codexRoot", () => {
+      mockFsService.isFile.mockReturnValue(true);
+      const savedConfig = {
+        codexRoot: undefined, // it still blows my mind we have a language in which we can define things to be undefined.
+        isTestConfig: "Yes, very",
+      };
+      mockFsService.readJsonFile.mockReturnValue(savedConfig);
+
+      const service = new ConfigService(mockFsService, mockOsService);
+
+      expect(mockFsService.isFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(configPath);
+      expect(mockFsService.readJsonFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(configPath);
+      expect(mockFsService.writeJsonFile).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(service.config).toEqual(expectedDefaultConfig);
+    });
   });
 
   describe("getCodexExe", () => {