diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 094f8b8..80fee82 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -88,9 +88,14 @@ func getAppDir() (string, error) {
 	_, err := os.Stat(dir)
 	if err != nil {
 		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			oserr := os.Mkdir(dir, 0700)
-			if oserr != nil {
-				return "", oserr
+			err := os.Mkdir(dir, 0700)
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", err
+			}
+			err = ioutil.WriteFile(dir+"/config.toml",
+				[]byte(DefaultFileContent()), 0644)
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", err
 			}
 		} else {
 			return "", err
diff --git a/config/default.go b/config/default.go
index 0070cb4..24596d1 100644
--- a/config/default.go
+++ b/config/default.go
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package config
 
-import "fmt"
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os/user"
+	"path"
+)
 
 func DefaultFileContent() string {
 	cfg := NewDefault()
@@ -35,5 +39,22 @@ pool_capacity = %[11]d
 }
 
 func NewDefault() *Config {
-	return &Config{}
+	usr, _ := user.Current()
+	return &Config{
+		Logger: Logger{
+			Type: "production",
+			Dest: path.Join(usr.HomeDir, ".lntop/lntop.log"),
+		},
+		Network: Network{
+			Name:            "lnd",
+			Type:            "lnd",
+			Address:         "//127.0.0.1:10009",
+			Cert:            path.Join(usr.HomeDir, ".lnd/tls.cert"),
+			Macaroon:        path.Join(usr.HomeDir, ".lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/mainnet/admin.macaroon"),
+			MacaroonTimeOut: 60,
+			MaxMsgRecvSize:  52428800,
+			ConnTimeout:     1000000,
+			PoolCapacity:    3,
+		},
+	}
 }
diff --git a/network/backend/backend.go b/network/backend/backend.go
index 7f3b8c6..e2c68cb 100644
--- a/network/backend/backend.go
+++ b/network/backend/backend.go
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Backend interface {
+	Ping() error
+
 	SubscribeInvoice(context.Context, chan *models.Invoice) error
 
 	SubscribeChannels(context.Context, chan *models.ChannelUpdate) error
diff --git a/network/backend/lnd/lnd.go b/network/backend/lnd/lnd.go
index 552b695..4253528 100644
--- a/network/backend/lnd/lnd.go
+++ b/network/backend/lnd/lnd.go
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ func (l Backend) NodeName() string {
 	return l.cfg.Name
 }
 
+func (l Backend) Ping() error {
+	clt, err := l.Client(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer clt.Close()
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (l Backend) Info(ctx context.Context) (*models.Info, error) {
 	clt, err := l.Client(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/network/backend/mock/mock.go b/network/backend/mock/mock.go
index b404bb0..46b0097 100644
--- a/network/backend/mock/mock.go
+++ b/network/backend/mock/mock.go
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ type Backend struct {
 	sync.RWMutex
 }
 
+func (b *Backend) Ping() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (b *Backend) Info(ctx context.Context) (*models.Info, error) {
 	return nil, nil
 }
diff --git a/network/network.go b/network/network.go
index 15f5170..c175cc8 100644
--- a/network/network.go
+++ b/network/network.go
@@ -26,5 +26,10 @@ func New(c *config.Network, logger logging.Logger) (*Network, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	err = b.Ping()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	return &Network{b}, nil
 }