diff --git a/piker/brokers/config.py b/piker/brokers/config.py
index ce302922..5b1f9e0f 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/config.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/config.py
@@ -1,20 +1,19 @@
 """
 Broker configuration mgmt.
 """
-from os import path
+from os import path, makedirs
 import configparser
 import click
 from ..log import get_logger
 
 log = get_logger('broker-config')
 
-_broker_conf_path = path.join(click.get_app_dir('piker'), 'brokers.ini')
+_config_dir = click.get_app_dir('piker')
+_broker_conf_path = path.join(_config_dir, 'brokers.ini')
 
 
 def load() -> (configparser.ConfigParser, str):
     """Load broker config.
-
-    Create a ``broker.ini`` file if one dne.
     """
     config = configparser.ConfigParser()
     read = config.read(_broker_conf_path)
@@ -24,7 +23,13 @@ def load() -> (configparser.ConfigParser, str):
 
 def write(config: configparser.ConfigParser) -> None:
     """Write broker config to disk.
+
+    Create a ``brokers.ini`` file if one does not exist.
     """
+    if not path.isdir(_config_dir):
+        log.debug(f"Creating config dir {_config_dir}")
+        makedirs(_config_dir)
+
     log.debug(f"Writing config file {_broker_conf_path}")
     with open(_broker_conf_path, 'w') as cf:
         return config.write(cf)