diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/init.go b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
index 77f3fb9f0..839ee2c9d 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/init.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
@@ -32,9 +32,13 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func initCmd(c *commander.Command, inp []string) error {
-	_, err := os.Lstat(config.DefaultConfigFilePath)
+	filename, err := config.Filename(config.DefaultConfigFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("Couldn't get home directory path")
+	}
+	fi, err := os.Lstat(filename)
 	force := c.Flag.Lookup("f").Value.Get().(bool)
-	if err != nil && !force {
+	if fi != nil || (err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err)) && !force {
 		return errors.New("ipfs configuration file already exists!\nReinitializing would overwrite your keys.\n(use -f to force overwrite)")
 	}
 	cfg := new(config.Config)