diff --git a/library/Core.cpp b/library/Core.cpp
index 96fd3903f..15c7064c8 100644
--- a/library/Core.cpp
+++ b/library/Core.cpp
@@ -811,13 +811,23 @@ bool Core::loadScriptFile(color_ostream &out, string fname, bool silent)
     }
 }
 
+static void run_dfhack_init(color_ostream &out, Core *core)
+{
+    if (!core->loadScriptFile(out, "dfhack.init", true))
+    {
+        core->runCommand(out, "gui/no-dfhack-init");
+        core->loadScriptFile(out, "dfhack.init-example", true);
+    }
+}
+
 // Load dfhack.init in a dedicated thread (non-interactive console mode)
 void fInitthread(void * iodata)
 {
     IODATA * iod = ((IODATA*) iodata);
     Core * core = iod->core;
     color_ostream_proxy out(core->getConsole());
-    core->loadScriptFile(out, "dfhack.init", true);
+
+    run_dfhack_init(out, core);
 }
 
 // A thread function... for the interactive console.
@@ -837,7 +847,7 @@ void fIOthread(void * iodata)
         return;
     }
 
-    core->loadScriptFile(con, "dfhack.init", true);
+    run_dfhack_init(con, core);
 
     con.print("DFHack is ready. Have a nice day!\n"
               "Type in '?' or 'help' for general help, 'ls' to see all commands.\n");
diff --git a/scripts/gui/no-dfhack-init.lua b/scripts/gui/no-dfhack-init.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f6171d5c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/gui/no-dfhack-init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+-- Shows the warning about missing configuration file.
+
+local gui = require 'gui'
+local dlg = require 'gui.dialogs'
+
+local dfhack_init = { text = 'dfhack.init', pen = COLOR_LIGHTCYAN }
+local dfhack_init_example = { text = 'dfhack.init-example', pen = COLOR_LIGHTCYAN }
+
+local message = {
+    'The ', dfhack_init, ' configuration file is missing. To customize', NEWLINE,
+    'your DFHack installation, rename the ', dfhack_init_example, ' file', NEWLINE,
+    'to ', dfhack_init, ' and edit it to suit your needs.', NEWLINE, NEWLINE,
+    'For now, ', dfhack_init_example, ' will be used instead.'
+}
+
+dfhack.print('\n')
+
+for k,v in ipairs(message) do
+    if type(v) == 'table' then
+        dfhack.color(v.pen)
+        dfhack.print(v.text)
+    else
+        dfhack.color(COLOR_YELLOW)
+        dfhack.print(v)
+    end
+end
+
+dfhack.color(COLOR_RESET)
+dfhack.print('\n\n')
+
+dlg.showMessage('DFHack is not configured', message, COLOR_YELLOW)