diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
index ee86c64..cb50fc4 100644
--- a/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -50,6 +50,15 @@ func InitCmd() *cobra.Command {
 }
 
 func initCmdF(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+	campaignPath, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("campaign")
+
+	_, err := os.Stat(campaignPath)
+	if err == nil {
+		ErrorAndExit(cmd, fmt.Errorf("cannot use %s as campaign file: file already exists", campaignPath))
+	} else if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		ErrorAndExit(cmd, fmt.Errorf("cannot use %s as campaign file: %w", campaignPath, err))
+	}
+
 	getStringFlagOrAskIfEmpty := func(name string, question string) string {
 		val, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString(name)
 		if val == "" {
@@ -96,7 +105,7 @@ func initCmdF(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 		IssueTemplate:  issueTemplate,
 		FooterTemplate: footerTemplate,
 	}
-	if err := app.SaveCampaign(campaign, "./campaign.json"); err != nil {
+	if err := app.SaveCampaign(campaign, campaignPath); err != nil {
 		ErrorAndExit(cmd, err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 26e9af2..78f211f 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ func withApp(f func(*app.App, *cobra.Command, []string)) func(*cobra.Command, []
 
 func withAppE(f func(*app.App, *cobra.Command, []string) error) func(*cobra.Command, []string) error {
 	return func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-		a, err := app.NewApp("./campaign.json")
+		campaignPath, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("campaign")
+
+		a, err := app.NewApp(campaignPath)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "ERROR: "+err.Error())
 			os.Exit(1)