diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a60b85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
diff --git a/commands/add.py b/commands/add.py
index 1b1a943..dba12e4 100644
--- a/commands/add.py
+++ b/commands/add.py
@@ -1,22 +1,8 @@
 """Add task command."""
 
 import json
-from pathlib import Path
-
-
-def get_tasks_file():
-    """Get path to tasks file."""
-    return Path.home() / ".local" / "share" / "task-cli" / "tasks.json"
-
-
-def validate_description(description):
-    """Validate task description."""
-    # NOTE: Validation logic scattered here - should be in utils (refactor bounty)
-    if not description:
-        raise ValueError("Description cannot be empty")
-    if len(description) > 200:
-        raise ValueError("Description too long (max 200 chars)")
-    return description.strip()
+from utils.paths import get_tasks_file
+from utils.validation import validate_description
 
 
 def add_task(description):
diff --git a/commands/done.py b/commands/done.py
index c9dfd42..995f058 100644
--- a/commands/done.py
+++ b/commands/done.py
@@ -1,20 +1,8 @@
 """Mark task done command."""
 
 import json
-from pathlib import Path
-
-
-def get_tasks_file():
-    """Get path to tasks file."""
-    return Path.home() / ".local" / "share" / "task-cli" / "tasks.json"
-
-
-def validate_task_id(tasks, task_id):
-    """Validate task ID exists."""
-    # NOTE: Validation logic scattered here - should be in utils (refactor bounty)
-    if task_id < 1 or task_id > len(tasks):
-        raise ValueError(f"Invalid task ID: {task_id}")
-    return task_id
+from utils.paths import get_tasks_file
+from utils.validation import validate_task_id
 
 
 def mark_done(task_id):
diff --git a/commands/list.py b/commands/list.py
index 714315d..a4b0b87 100644
--- a/commands/list.py
+++ b/commands/list.py
@@ -1,27 +1,13 @@
 """List tasks command."""
 
 import json
-from pathlib import Path
-
-
-def get_tasks_file():
-    """Get path to tasks file."""
-    return Path.home() / ".local" / "share" / "task-cli" / "tasks.json"
-
-
-def validate_task_file():
-    """Validate tasks file exists."""
-    # NOTE: Validation logic scattered here - should be in utils (refactor bounty)
-    tasks_file = get_tasks_file()
-    if not tasks_file.exists():
-        return []
-    return tasks_file
+from utils.paths import get_tasks_file
+from utils.validation import validate_task_file
 
 
 def list_tasks():
     """List all tasks."""
-    # NOTE: No --json flag support yet (feature bounty)
-    tasks_file = validate_task_file()
+    tasks_file = validate_task_file(get_tasks_file())
     if not tasks_file:
         print("No tasks yet!")
         return
diff --git a/task.py b/task.py
index 53cc8ed..65d7906 100644
--- a/task.py
+++ b/task.py
@@ -11,9 +11,14 @@
 
 
 def load_config():
-    """Load configuration from file."""
+    """Load configuration from file. Creates default config if missing."""
     config_path = Path.home() / ".config" / "task-cli" / "config.yaml"
-    # NOTE: This will crash if config doesn't exist - known bug for bounty testing
+    if not config_path.exists():
+        # Gracefully create default config instead of crashing
+        config_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        default_config = "# task-cli configuration\nversion: 1\n"
+        config_path.write_text(default_config)
+        return default_config
     with open(config_path) as f:
         return f.read()
 
diff --git a/test_task.py b/test_task.py
index ba98e43..a9be8d8 100644
--- a/test_task.py
+++ b/test_task.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 """Basic tests for task CLI."""
 
-import json
 import pytest
+import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
-from commands.add import add_task, validate_description
-from commands.done import validate_task_id
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from utils.validation import validate_description, validate_task_id
+from task import load_config
 
 
 def test_validate_description():
@@ -28,3 +30,23 @@ def test_validate_task_id():
 
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         validate_task_id(tasks, 99)
+
+
+def test_load_config_missing_file(tmp_path):
+    """Test load_config creates default config when file is missing."""
+    fake_config = tmp_path / ".config" / "task-cli" / "config.yaml"
+    with patch("task.Path.home", return_value=tmp_path):
+        result = load_config()
+    assert "version: 1" in result
+    assert fake_config.exists()
+
+
+def test_load_config_existing_file(tmp_path):
+    """Test load_config reads existing config."""
+    config_dir = tmp_path / ".config" / "task-cli"
+    config_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    config_file = config_dir / "config.yaml"
+    config_file.write_text("version: 2\ncustom: true\n")
+    with patch("task.Path.home", return_value=tmp_path):
+        result = load_config()
+    assert "version: 2" in result
diff --git a/utils/__init__.py b/utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/utils/paths.py b/utils/paths.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ce0eef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/paths.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+"""Shared path helpers."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def get_tasks_file():
+    """Get path to tasks file."""
+    return Path.home() / ".local" / "share" / "task-cli" / "tasks.json"
diff --git a/utils/validation.py b/utils/validation.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80854ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/validation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"""Shared validation helpers."""
+
+
+def validate_description(description):
+    """Validate task description."""
+    if not description:
+        raise ValueError("Description cannot be empty")
+    if len(description) > 200:
+        raise ValueError("Description too long (max 200 chars)")
+    return description.strip()
+
+
+def validate_task_file(tasks_file):
+    """Validate tasks file exists."""
+    if not tasks_file.exists():
+        return []
+    return tasks_file
+
+
+def validate_task_id(tasks, task_id):
+    """Validate task ID exists."""
+    if task_id < 1 or task_id > len(tasks):
+        raise ValueError(f"Invalid task ID: {task_id}")
+    return task_id