diff --git a/clj/src/cljd/build.clj b/clj/src/cljd/build.clj
index 80834cc2..3e51aaad 100644
--- a/clj/src/cljd/build.clj
+++ b/clj/src/cljd/build.clj
@@ -308,6 +308,15 @@
             (throw (Exception. (str "Unknown command: " command)))))
         (list* options args)))))
 
+(defn print-missing-config-warning [f-exists cmd]
+  (when-not (or f-exists
+              (contains? #{:help "init"} cmd))
+    (newline)
+    (println (title "WARNING: No cljd.edn file"))
+    (println "Did you forget to run the following command?")
+    (println (bright "clj -M -m cljd.build init <project_main_namespace>"))
+    (newline)))
+
 (defn print-help [{:keys [doc options] :as spec}]
   (when doc
     (newline)
@@ -345,7 +354,8 @@
 
 (defn -main [& args]
   (let [f (java.io.File. (System/getProperty "user.dir") "cljd.edn")
-        config (if (.exists f)
+        f-exists (.exists f)
+        config (if f-exists
                  (with-open [rdr (-> f io/reader java.io.PushbackReader.)]
                    (edn/read rdr))
                  {})]
@@ -354,6 +364,7 @@
               compiler/*lib-path*
               (str (.getPath (java.io.File. (System/getProperty "user.dir") "lib")) "/")]
       (let [[options cmd cmd-opts & args] (parse-args commands args)]
+        (print-missing-config-warning f-exists cmd)
         (case cmd
           :help (print-help commands)
           "init"