diff --git a/src/cli/entryList.go b/src/cli/entryList.go
index 14ee68a..20e9431 100644
--- a/src/cli/entryList.go
+++ b/src/cli/entryList.go
@@ -88,16 +88,12 @@ func EntryListGen() {
 
 			// check for errors encountered while walking directory
 			if err != nil {
-				// create EntryRoot if the error is the result of it not existing on the system
 				if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-					_ = os.Mkdir(offline.EntryRoot, 0700)
-					dirList = append(dirList, "")
+					fmt.Println(offline.AnsiError + "The entry directory does not exist - run \"mutn init\" to create it" + offline.AnsiReset)
 				} else {
 					// otherwise, print the source of the error
 					fmt.Println(offline.AnsiError + "An unexpected error occurred while generating the entry list: " + err.Error() + offline.AnsiReset)
 				}
-				// quit walking EntryRoot and return nil to allow the program to continue
-				return nil
 			}
 
 			// trim root path from each path before storing
diff --git a/src/cli/init.go b/src/cli/init.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93fa6c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/init.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"github.com/rwinkhart/MUTN/src/offline"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+)
+
+func TempInitCli() {
+	// gpgID
+	cmd := exec.Command("gpg", "-k")
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Run()
+	gpgID := input("GPG key ID:")
+
+	// textEditor
+	textEditor := input("Text editor (leave blank for $EDITOR, falls back to \"vi\"):")
+
+	offline.TempInit(map[string]string{"textEditor": textEditor, "gpgID": gpgID})
+}