diff --git a/cmd/config/config.go b/cmd/config/config.go
index 94a14d2f2..0c92a5526 100644
--- a/cmd/config/config.go
+++ b/cmd/config/config.go
@@ -55,6 +55,6 @@ func NewConfigCommand(rootSettings *environment.AirshipCTLSettings) *cobra.Comma
 	configRootCmd.AddCommand(NewSetManifestCommand(cfgFactory))
 
 	// Init will have different factory
-	configRootCmd.AddCommand(NewInitCommand(rootSettings))
+	configRootCmd.AddCommand(NewInitCommand())
 	return configRootCmd
 }
diff --git a/cmd/config/init.go b/cmd/config/init.go
index ef4a34bf9..858d1353d 100644
--- a/cmd/config/init.go
+++ b/cmd/config/init.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ package config
 import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
-	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/environment"
+	"opendev.org/airship/airshipctl/pkg/config"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ NOTE: This will overwrite any existing config files in $HOME/.airship
 )
 
 // NewInitCommand creates a command for generating default airshipctl config files.
-func NewInitCommand(rootSettings *environment.AirshipCTLSettings) *cobra.Command {
+func NewInitCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	// TODO(howell): It'd be nice to have a flag to tell
 	// airshipctl where to store the new files.
 	// TODO(howell): Currently, this command overwrites whatever the user
@@ -44,7 +44,16 @@ func NewInitCommand(rootSettings *environment.AirshipCTLSettings) *cobra.Command
 		Short: "Generate initial configuration files for airshipctl",
 		Long:  initLong[1:],
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			return rootSettings.Config.PersistConfig(true)
+			airshipConfigPath, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("airshipconf")
+			if err != nil {
+				airshipConfigPath = ""
+			}
+
+			kubeConfigPath, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("kubeconfig")
+			if err != nil {
+				kubeConfigPath = ""
+			}
+			return config.CreateConfig(airshipConfigPath, kubeConfigPath)
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/config/init_test.go b/cmd/config/init_test.go
index dc5473234..9c50306e3 100644
--- a/cmd/config/init_test.go
+++ b/cmd/config/init_test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func TestConfigInit(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			Name:    "config-init-help",
 			CmdLine: "-h",
-			Cmd:     NewInitCommand(nil),
+			Cmd:     NewInitCommand(),
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index b517cb553..d4d79267e 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -116,6 +116,17 @@ func CreateFactory(airshipConfigPath *string, kubeConfigPath *string) Factory {
 	}
 }
 
+// CreateConfig saves default config to specified paths
+func CreateConfig(airshipConfigPath string, kubeConfigPath string) error {
+	cfg := NewConfig()
+	cfg.kubeConfig = NewKubeConfig()
+	cfg.initConfigPath(airshipConfigPath, kubeConfigPath)
+	if err := cfg.reconcileConfig(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return cfg.PersistConfig(true)
+}
+
 // initConfigPath - Initializes loadedConfigPath and kubeConfigPath variable for Config object
 func (c *Config) initConfigPath(airshipConfigPath string, kubeConfigPath string) {
 	switch {