diff --git a/src/Application/Application.cpp b/src/Application/Application.cpp
index e1be7cc..5526c38 100644
--- a/src/Application/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/Application/Application.cpp
@@ -32,10 +32,14 @@ Application::Application(){
 }
 
 void Application::setup(){
-	if(!loadXmlSettings(PIMAPPER_USER_SURFACES_XML_FILE)){
-		ofLogWarning("Application::setup()") << "Failed to load user settings" << endl;
-		if(!loadXmlSettings(PIMAPPER_DEF_SURFACES_XML_FILE)){
-			ofLogWarning("Application::setup()") << "Failed to load default settings" << endl;
+	if(!loadXmlSettings(PIMAPPER_SETTINGS_FILE)){
+		if(SettingsLoader::instance()->create(PIMAPPER_SETTINGS_FILE)){
+			bool success = loadXmlSettings(PIMAPPER_SETTINGS_FILE);
+			if(!success){
+				throw runtime_error("ofxPiMapper: Failed to load settings.");
+			}
+		}else{
+			throw runtime_error("ofxPiMapper: Failed to create default settings file.");
 		}
 	}
 	
diff --git a/src/Application/Application.h b/src/Application/Application.h
index 4c61537..7516948 100644
--- a/src/Application/Application.h
+++ b/src/Application/Application.h
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@
 #include "Gui.h"
 #include "TerminalListener.h"
 
-#define PIMAPPER_DEF_SURFACES_XML_FILE "defaultSurfaces.xml"
-#define PIMAPPER_USER_SURFACES_XML_FILE "surfaces.xml"
+#define PIMAPPER_SETTINGS_FILE "ofxpimapper.xml"
 
 namespace ofx {
 namespace piMapper {
diff --git a/src/Application/SettingsLoader.cpp b/src/Application/SettingsLoader.cpp
index 6af4394..8dd461d 100644
--- a/src/Application/SettingsLoader.cpp
+++ b/src/Application/SettingsLoader.cpp
@@ -33,18 +33,18 @@ bool SettingsLoader::load(
 	}
 	
 	if(!xmlSettings->tagExists("surfaces")){
-		ofLogWarning("SettingsLoader::load()") << "XML settings is empty or has wrong markup";
-		return false;
-	}else{
-		// Count <surfaces> tags.
-		unsigned int numPresets = xmlSettings->getNumTags("surfaces");
-		cout << "numPresets: " << numPresets << endl;
+		xmlSettings->addTag("surfaces");
+	}
+	
+	// Count <surfaces> tags.
+	unsigned int numPresets = xmlSettings->getNumTags("surfaces");
+	cout << "numPresets: " << numPresets << endl;
 		
-		// Clear previous presets and surfaces first.
-		surfaceManager.clearPresets();
+	// Clear previous presets and surfaces first.
+	surfaceManager.clearPresets();
 		
-		// Loop through <surfaces> tags in the XML.
-		for(unsigned int i = 0; i < numPresets; ++i){
+	// Loop through <surfaces> tags in the XML.
+	for(unsigned int i = 0; i < numPresets; ++i){
 	
 		xmlSettings->pushTag("surfaces", i);
 		
@@ -135,8 +135,7 @@ bool SettingsLoader::load(
 
 		xmlSettings->popTag(); // surfaces
 		
-		} // for
-	}
+	} // for
 	
 	_lastLoadedFilename = fileName;
 	
@@ -231,6 +230,12 @@ bool SettingsLoader::save(SurfaceManager & surfaceManager, string fileName){
 	xmlSettings->save(fileName);
 }
 
+bool SettingsLoader::create(string fileName){
+	ofxXmlSettings xml;
+	xml.addTag("surfaces");
+	return xml.save(fileName);
+}
+
 BaseSurface * SettingsLoader::getTriangleSurface(ofxXmlSettings * xmlSettings){
 	vector <ofVec2f> vertices;
 	
@@ -459,4 +464,4 @@ BaseSurface * SettingsLoader::getGridWarpSurface(ofxXmlSettings * xmlSettings){
 
 
 } // namespace piMapper
-} // namespace ofx
\ No newline at end of file
+} // namespace ofx
diff --git a/src/Application/SettingsLoader.h b/src/Application/SettingsLoader.h
index eee6327..329385d 100644
--- a/src/Application/SettingsLoader.h
+++ b/src/Application/SettingsLoader.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class SettingsLoader {
 	
 		bool load(SurfaceManager & surfaceManager, MediaServer & mediaServer, string fileName);
 		bool save(SurfaceManager & surfaceManager, string fileName);
+		bool create(string fileName);
 	
 		string getLastLoadedFilename(){ return _lastLoadedFilename; };
 	
@@ -35,4 +36,4 @@ class SettingsLoader {
 };
 
 } // namespace piMapper
-} // namespace ofx
\ No newline at end of file
+} // namespace ofx