diff --git a/src/config_files.rs b/src/config_files.rs
index 3dd6a2a762..f362213abc 100644
--- a/src/config_files.rs
+++ b/src/config_files.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ use nu_parser::ParseError;
 use nu_path::canonicalize_with;
 use nu_protocol::engine::{EngineState, Stack, StateDelta, StateWorkingSet};
 use nu_protocol::{PipelineData, Span, Spanned};
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::Write;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 const NUSHELL_FOLDER: &str = "nushell";
@@ -71,6 +73,30 @@ pub(crate) fn read_config_file(
         }
 
         config_path.push(CONFIG_FILE);
+
+        if !config_path.exists() {
+            println!("No config file found at {:?}", config_path);
+            println!("Would you like to create one (Y/n): ");
+
+            let mut answer = String::new();
+            std::io::stdin()
+                .read_line(&mut answer)
+                .expect("Failed to read user input");
+
+            match answer.to_lowercase().trim() {
+                "y" => {
+                    let mut output = File::create(&config_path).expect("Unable to create file");
+                    let config_file = include_str!("default_config.nu");
+                    write!(output, "{}", config_file).expect("Unable to write to config file");
+                    println!("Config file created {:?}", config_path);
+                }
+                _ => {
+                    println!("Continuing without config file");
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         eval_config_contents(config_path, engine_state, stack);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/default_config.nu b/src/default_config.nu
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..157703c4e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/default_config.nu
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+# Nushell Config File
+
+def create_left_prompt [] {
+    let path_segment = ([
+        ($nu.cwd)
+        (char space)
+    ] | str collect)
+
+    $path_segment
+}
+
+def create_right_prompt [] {
+    let time_segment = ([
+        (date now | date format '%m/%d/%Y %I:%M:%S%.3f')
+    ] | str collect)
+
+    $time_segment
+}
+
+# Use nushell functions to define your right and left prompt
+let-env PROMPT_COMMAND = { create_left_prompt }
+let-env PROMPT_COMMAND_RIGHT = { create_right_prompt }
+
+# The prompt indicators are environmental variables that represent
+# the state of the prompt
+let-env PROMPT_INDICATOR = "〉"
+let-env PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_INSERT = ": "
+let-env PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_NORMAL = "〉"
+let-env PROMPT_MULTILINE_INDICATOR = "::: "
+
+let $config = {
+  filesize_metric: $true
+  table_mode: rounded # basic, compact, compact_double, light, thin, with_love, rounded, reinforced, heavy, none, other
+  use_ls_colors: $true
+  rm_always_trash: $false
+  color_config: {
+    separator: yd
+    leading_trailing_space_bg: white
+    header: cb
+    date: pu
+    filesize: ub
+    row_index: yb
+    hints: dark_gray
+    bool: red
+    int: green
+    duration: red
+    range: red
+    float: red
+    string: red
+    nothing: red
+    binary: red
+    cellpath: red
+  }
+  use_grid_icons: $true
+  footer_mode: always #always, never, number_of_rows, auto
+  quick_completions: $false
+  animate_prompt: $false
+  float_precision: 2
+  use_ansi_coloring: $true
+  filesize_format: "b" # b, kb, kib, mb, mib, gb, gib, tb, tib, pb, pib, eb, eib, zb, zib, auto
+  env_conversions: {
+    "PATH": {
+        from_string: { |s| $s | split row (char esep) }
+        to_string: { |v| $v | str collect (char esep) }
+        }
+  }
+  edit_mode: emacs # emacs, vi
+  max_history_size: 10000
+  menu_config: {
+    columns: 4
+    col_width: 20   # Optional value. If missing all the screen width is used to calculate column width
+    col_padding: 2
+    text_style: red
+    selected_text_style: green_reverse
+    marker: "| "
+  }
+  history_config: {
+   page_size: 10
+   selector: ":"                                                                                                                          
+   text_style: green
+   selected_text_style: green_reverse
+   marker: "? "
+  }
+  keybindings: [
+  {
+    name: completion
+    modifier: control
+    keycode: char_t
+    mode: vi_insert # emacs vi_normal vi_insert
+    event: { send: menu name: context_menu }
+  }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 88b3810ee2..259589594c 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
                 || arg == "--perf"
                 || arg == "--threads"
                 || arg == "--version"
+                || arg == "--log-level"
             {
                 collect_arg_nushell = true;
             }
@@ -139,8 +140,13 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
             if binary_args.perf {
                 // if we started in perf mode show only the info logs
                 // TODO: what happens when the config log_level is read?
+                let level = binary_args
+                    .log_level
+                    .map(|level| level.item)
+                    .unwrap_or_else(|| "info".to_string());
+
                 logger(|builder| {
-                    configure("info", builder)?;
+                    configure(level.as_str(), builder)?;
                     Ok(())
                 })?;
                 info!("start logging {}:{}:{}", file!(), line!(), column!());
@@ -256,6 +262,7 @@ fn parse_commandline_args(
             let testbin: Option<Expression> = call.get_flag_expr("testbin");
             let perf = call.has_flag("perf");
             let config_file: Option<Expression> = call.get_flag_expr("config");
+            let log_level: Option<Expression> = call.get_flag_expr("log-level");
             let threads: Option<Value> = call.get_flag(engine_state, &mut stack, "threads")?;
 
             fn extract_contents(
@@ -275,6 +282,7 @@ fn parse_commandline_args(
             let commands = extract_contents(commands, engine_state);
             let testbin = extract_contents(testbin, engine_state);
             let config_file = extract_contents(config_file, engine_state);
+            let log_level = extract_contents(log_level, engine_state);
 
             let help = call.has_flag("help");
 
@@ -309,6 +317,7 @@ fn parse_commandline_args(
                 commands,
                 testbin,
                 config_file,
+                log_level,
                 perf,
                 threads,
             });
@@ -329,6 +338,7 @@ struct NushellCliArgs {
     commands: Option<Spanned<String>>,
     testbin: Option<Spanned<String>>,
     config_file: Option<Spanned<String>>,
+    log_level: Option<Spanned<String>>,
     perf: bool,
     threads: Option<Value>,
 }
@@ -376,6 +386,12 @@ impl Command for Nu {
                 "start with an alternate config file",
                 None,
             )
+            .named(
+                "log-level",
+                SyntaxShape::String,
+                "log level for performance logs",
+                None,
+            )
             .named(
                 "threads",
                 SyntaxShape::Int,