diff --git a/include/ConfigManager.h b/include/ConfigManager.h
index 36fbdebb5..1e53e97a7 100644
--- a/include/ConfigManager.h
+++ b/include/ConfigManager.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class Engine;
 
 
 const QString PROJECTS_PATH = "projects/";
+const QString TEMPLATE_PATH = "templates/";
 const QString PRESETS_PATH = "presets/";
 const QString SAMPLES_PATH = "samples/";
 const QString DEFAULT_THEME_PATH = "themes/default/";
diff --git a/src/core/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/core/ConfigManager.cpp
index 1254977f0..8c4aa2974 100644
--- a/src/core/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ void ConfigManager::loadConfigFile()
 	if( QDir( m_workingDir ).exists() )
 	{
 		QDir().mkpath( userProjectsDir() );
+		QDir().mkpath( userProjectsDir() + TEMPLATE_PATH );
 		QDir().mkpath( userSamplesDir() );
 		QDir().mkpath( userPresetsDir() );
 	}
diff --git a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
index 9a0afbe38..a52d5d80d 100644
--- a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -738,6 +738,15 @@ void MainWindow::createNewProject()
 	{
 		Engine::getSong()->createNewProject();
 	}
+	QString default_template = ConfigManager::inst()->userProjectsDir()
+						+ "templates/default.mpt";
+
+	//if we dont have a user default template, make one
+	if( !QFile::exists( default_template ) )
+	{
+		Engine::getSong()->saveProjectFile( ConfigManager::inst()->userProjectsDir()
+						 + "templates/default.mpt" );
+	}
 }