diff --git a/installer/lib/phx_new/ecto.ex b/installer/lib/phx_new/ecto.ex
index 5d56a47769..2eff11f174 100644
--- a/installer/lib/phx_new/ecto.ex
+++ b/installer/lib/phx_new/ecto.ex
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ defmodule Phx.New.Ecto do
   end
 
   def generate(%Project{} = project) do
+    inject_umbrella_config_defaults(project)
     copy_from project, __MODULE__, :new
     if Project.ecto?(project), do: Phx.New.Single.gen_ecto(project)
     project
   end
-
 end
diff --git a/installer/lib/phx_new/generator.ex b/installer/lib/phx_new/generator.ex
index e0ee1a9085..b1dab54fa7 100644
--- a/installer/lib/phx_new/generator.ex
+++ b/installer/lib/phx_new/generator.ex
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ defmodule Phx.New.Generator do
     end
   end
 
+  def inject_umbrella_config_defaults(project) do
+    unless File.exists?(Project.join_path(project, :project, "config/dev.exs")) do
+      path = Project.join_path(project, :project, "config/config.exs")
+      extra = Phx.New.Umbrella.render(:new, "phx_umbrella/config/extra_config.exs")
+      File.write(path, [File.read!(path), extra])
+    end
+  end
+
   defp split_with_self(contents, text) do
     case :binary.split(contents, text) do
       [left, right] -> [left, text, right]
diff --git a/installer/lib/phx_new/umbrella.ex b/installer/lib/phx_new/umbrella.ex
index 1c46d37dcb..b268ad11cc 100644
--- a/installer/lib/phx_new/umbrella.ex
+++ b/installer/lib/phx_new/umbrella.ex
@@ -4,15 +4,16 @@ defmodule Phx.New.Umbrella do
   alias Phx.New.{Ecto, Web, Project}
 
   template :new, [
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/gitignore",              :project, ".gitignore"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/config/config.exs",      :project, "config/config.exs"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/config/dev.exs",         :project, "config/dev.exs"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/config/test.exs",        :project, "config/test.exs"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/config/prod.exs",        :project, "config/prod.exs"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/config/prod.secret.exs", :project, "config/prod.secret.exs"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/mix.exs",                :project, "mix.exs"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/README.md",              :project, "README.md"},
-    {:eex,  "phx_umbrella/formatter.exs",          :project, ".formatter.exs"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/gitignore",               :project, ".gitignore"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/config/config.exs",       :project, "config/config.exs"},
+    {:config, "phx_umbrella/config/extra_config.exs", :project, "config/config.exs"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/config/dev.exs",          :project, "config/dev.exs"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/config/test.exs",         :project, "config/test.exs"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/config/prod.exs",         :project, "config/prod.exs"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/config/prod.secret.exs",  :project, "config/prod.secret.exs"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/mix.exs",                 :project, "mix.exs"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/README.md",               :project, "README.md"},
+    {:eex,    "phx_umbrella/formatter.exs",           :project, ".formatter.exs"},
   ]
 
   def prepare_project(%Project{app: app} = project) when not is_nil(app) do
diff --git a/installer/lib/phx_new/web.ex b/installer/lib/phx_new/web.ex
index 21f32f9b4b..9e58c1e636 100644
--- a/installer/lib/phx_new/web.ex
+++ b/installer/lib/phx_new/web.ex
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ defmodule Phx.New.Web do
   end
 
   def generate(%Project{} = project) do
+    inject_umbrella_config_defaults(project)
     copy_from project, __MODULE__, :new
     copy_from project, __MODULE__, :gettext
 
diff --git a/installer/templates/phx_umbrella/config/config.exs b/installer/templates/phx_umbrella/config/config.exs
index 0284598b03..8b9ddc0b5d 100644
--- a/installer/templates/phx_umbrella/config/config.exs
+++ b/installer/templates/phx_umbrella/config/config.exs
@@ -8,15 +8,3 @@
 # configurations or dependencies per app, it is best to
 # move said applications out of the umbrella.
 use Mix.Config
-
-# Configures Elixir's Logger
-config :logger, :console,
-  format: "$time $metadata[$level] $message\n",
-  metadata: [:request_id]
-
-# Use Jason for JSON parsing in Phoenix
-config :phoenix, :json_library, Jason
-
-# Import environment specific config. This must remain at the bottom
-# of this file so it overrides the configuration defined above.
-import_config "#{Mix.env()}.exs"
diff --git a/installer/templates/phx_umbrella/config/extra_config.exs b/installer/templates/phx_umbrella/config/extra_config.exs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b1734d2f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/templates/phx_umbrella/config/extra_config.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+
+# Configures Elixir's Logger
+config :logger, :console,
+  format: "$time $metadata[$level] $message\n",
+  metadata: [:request_id]
+
+# Use Jason for JSON parsing in Phoenix
+config :phoenix, :json_library, Jason
+
+# Import environment specific config. This must remain at the bottom
+# of this file so it overrides the configuration defined above.
+import_config "#{Mix.env()}.exs"
diff --git a/installer/test/phx_new_ecto_test.exs b/installer/test/phx_new_ecto_test.exs
index 4011af6296..6ca3411777 100644
--- a/installer/test/phx_new_ecto_test.exs
+++ b/installer/test/phx_new_ecto_test.exs
@@ -12,10 +12,21 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.EctoTest do
     :ok
   end
 
+  @app_name "phx_ecto"
+
   test "new without args" do
-    in_tmp_umbrella_project "new without args", fn ->
-      assert capture_io(fn -> Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Ecto.run([]) end) =~
-             "Creates a new Ecto project within an umbrella project."
+    assert capture_io(fn -> Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Ecto.run([]) end) =~
+           "Creates a new Ecto project within an umbrella project."
+  end
+
+  test "new with barebones umbrella" do
+    in_tmp_umbrella_project "new with barebones umbrella", fn ->
+      files = ~w[../config/dev.exs ../config/test.exs ../config/prod.exs ../config/prod.secret.exs]
+      Enum.each(files, &File.rm/1)
+
+      assert_file "../config/config.exs", &refute(&1 =~ ~S[import_config "#{Mix.env()}.exs"])
+      Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Ecto.run([@app_name])
+      assert_file "../config/config.exs", &assert(&1 =~ ~S[import_config "#{Mix.env()}.exs"])
     end
   end
 
@@ -29,7 +40,7 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.EctoTest do
 
   test "new with defaults", config do
     in_tmp_umbrella_project config.test, fn ->
-      Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Ecto.run(["phx_ecto"])
+      Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Ecto.run([@app_name])
 
       # Install dependencies?
       assert_received {:mix_shell, :yes?, ["\nFetch and install dependencies?"]}
diff --git a/installer/test/phx_new_web_test.exs b/installer/test/phx_new_web_test.exs
index 93ab23f5e8..4b828f89a2 100644
--- a/installer/test/phx_new_web_test.exs
+++ b/installer/test/phx_new_web_test.exs
@@ -15,9 +15,18 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.WebTest do
   end
 
   test "new without args" do
-    in_tmp_umbrella_project "new without args", fn ->
-      assert capture_io(fn -> Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Web.run([]) end) =~
-             "Creates a new Phoenix web project within an umbrella project."
+    assert capture_io(fn -> Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Web.run([]) end) =~
+           "Creates a new Phoenix web project within an umbrella project."
+  end
+
+  test "new with barebones umbrella" do
+    in_tmp_umbrella_project "new with barebones umbrella", fn ->
+      files = ~w[../config/dev.exs ../config/test.exs ../config/prod.exs ../config/prod.secret.exs]
+      Enum.each(files, &File.rm/1)
+
+      assert_file "../config/config.exs", &refute(&1 =~ ~S[import_config "#{Mix.env()}.exs"])
+      Mix.Tasks.Phx.New.Web.run([@app_name])
+      assert_file "../config/config.exs", &assert(&1 =~ ~S[import_config "#{Mix.env()}.exs"])
     end
   end