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..4c25471 100644
--- a/commands/add.py
+++ b/commands/add.py
@@ -1,25 +1,11 @@
 """Add task command."""
 
 import json
-from pathlib import Path
+from utils.paths import get_tasks_file
+from utils.validation import validate_description
 
 
-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()
-
-
-def add_task(description):
+def add_task(description, output_json=False):
     """Add a new task."""
     description = validate_description(description)
 
@@ -31,7 +17,12 @@ def add_task(description):
         tasks = json.loads(tasks_file.read_text())
 
     task_id = len(tasks) + 1
-    tasks.append({"id": task_id, "description": description, "done": False})
+    task = {"id": task_id, "description": description, "done": False}
+    tasks.append(task)
 
     tasks_file.write_text(json.dumps(tasks, indent=2))
-    print(f"Added task {task_id}: {description}")
+
+    if output_json:
+        print(json.dumps(task))
+    else:
+        print(f"Added task {task_id}: {description}")
diff --git a/commands/done.py b/commands/done.py
index c9dfd42..6370a04 100644
--- a/commands/done.py
+++ b/commands/done.py
@@ -1,27 +1,18 @@
 """Mark task done command."""
 
 import json
-from pathlib import Path
+from utils.paths import get_tasks_file
+from utils.validation import validate_task_id
 
 
-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
-
-
-def mark_done(task_id):
+def mark_done(task_id, output_json=False):
     """Mark a task as complete."""
     tasks_file = get_tasks_file()
     if not tasks_file.exists():
-        print("No tasks found!")
+        if output_json:
+            print(json.dumps({"error": "No tasks found"}))
+        else:
+            print("No tasks found!")
         return
 
     tasks = json.loads(tasks_file.read_text())
@@ -31,7 +22,13 @@ def mark_done(task_id):
         if task["id"] == task_id:
             task["done"] = True
             tasks_file.write_text(json.dumps(tasks, indent=2))
-            print(f"Marked task {task_id} as done: {task['description']}")
+            if output_json:
+                print(json.dumps(task))
+            else:
+                print(f"Marked task {task_id} as done: {task['description']}")
             return
 
-    print(f"Task {task_id} not found")
+    if output_json:
+        print(json.dumps({"error": f"Task {task_id} not found"}))
+    else:
+        print(f"Task {task_id} not found")
diff --git a/commands/list.py b/commands/list.py
index 714315d..ab819f6 100644
--- a/commands/list.py
+++ b/commands/list.py
@@ -1,37 +1,32 @@
 """List tasks command."""
 
 import json
-from pathlib import Path
+from utils.paths import get_tasks_file
+from utils.validation import validate_task_file
 
 
-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
-
-
-def list_tasks():
+def list_tasks(output_json=False):
     """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!")
+        if output_json:
+            print("[]")
+        else:
+            print("No tasks yet!")
         return
 
     tasks = json.loads(tasks_file.read_text())
 
     if not tasks:
-        print("No tasks yet!")
+        if output_json:
+            print("[]")
+        else:
+            print("No tasks yet!")
         return
 
-    for task in tasks:
-        status = "✓" if task["done"] else " "
-        print(f"[{status}] {task['id']}. {task['description']}")
+    if output_json:
+        print(json.dumps(tasks))
+    else:
+        for task in tasks:
+            status = "✓" if task["done"] else " "
+            print(f"[{status}] {task['id']}. {task['description']}")
diff --git a/task.py b/task.py
index 53cc8ed..a89e886 100644
--- a/task.py
+++ b/task.py
@@ -11,36 +11,45 @@
 
 
 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():
+        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()
 
 
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Simple task manager")
+    parser.add_argument("--json", action="store_true", help="Output in JSON format")
     subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest="command", help="Command to run")
 
     # Add command
     add_parser = subparsers.add_parser("add", help="Add a new task")
     add_parser.add_argument("description", help="Task description")
+    add_parser.add_argument("--json", action="store_true", help="Output in JSON format")
 
     # List command
     list_parser = subparsers.add_parser("list", help="List all tasks")
+    list_parser.add_argument("--json", action="store_true", help="Output in JSON format")
 
     # Done command
     done_parser = subparsers.add_parser("done", help="Mark task as complete")
     done_parser.add_argument("task_id", type=int, help="Task ID to mark done")
+    done_parser.add_argument("--json", action="store_true", help="Output in JSON format")
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    use_json = getattr(args, "json", False)
 
     if args.command == "add":
-        add_task(args.description)
+        add_task(args.description, output_json=use_json)
     elif args.command == "list":
-        list_tasks()
+        list_tasks(output_json=use_json)
     elif args.command == "done":
-        mark_done(args.task_id)
+        mark_done(args.task_id, output_json=use_json)
     else:
         parser.print_help()
 
diff --git a/test_task.py b/test_task.py
index ba98e43..4611efc 100644
--- a/test_task.py
+++ b/test_task.py
@@ -2,29 +2,75 @@
 
 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
+from commands.add import add_task
+from commands.list import list_tasks
+from commands.done import mark_done
 
 
 def test_validate_description():
-    """Test description validation."""
     assert validate_description("  test  ") == "test"
-
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         validate_description("")
-
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         validate_description("x" * 201)
 
 
 def test_validate_task_id():
-    """Test task ID validation."""
     tasks = [{"id": 1}, {"id": 2}]
     assert validate_task_id(tasks, 1) == 1
-
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         validate_task_id(tasks, 0)
-
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         validate_task_id(tasks, 99)
+
+
+def test_load_config_missing_file(tmp_path):
+    with patch("task.Path.home", return_value=tmp_path):
+        result = load_config()
+    assert "version: 1" in result
+    assert (tmp_path / ".config" / "task-cli" / "config.yaml").exists()
+
+
+def test_load_config_existing_file(tmp_path):
+    config_dir = tmp_path / ".config" / "task-cli"
+    config_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (config_dir / "config.yaml").write_text("version: 2\n")
+    with patch("task.Path.home", return_value=tmp_path):
+        result = load_config()
+    assert "version: 2" in result
+
+
+def test_add_task_json_output(tmp_path, capsys):
+    with patch("utils.paths.Path.home", return_value=tmp_path):
+        add_task("test task", output_json=True)
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    data = json.loads(captured.out)
+    assert data["description"] == "test task"
+    assert data["done"] == False
+    assert "id" in data
+
+
+def test_list_tasks_json_output(tmp_path, capsys):
+    with patch("utils.paths.Path.home", return_value=tmp_path):
+        add_task("task one")
+        add_task("task two")
+        list_tasks(output_json=True)
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    # last line is the JSON from list_tasks
+    lines = [l for l in captured.out.strip().split("\n") if l.startswith("[")]
+    data = json.loads(lines[-1])
+    assert len(data) == 2
+    assert data[0]["description"] == "task one"
+
+
+def test_list_tasks_empty_json(tmp_path, capsys):
+    with patch("utils.paths.Path.home", return_value=tmp_path):
+        list_tasks(output_json=True)
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert captured.out.strip() == "[]"
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