diff --git a/spec/config-spec.coffee b/spec/config-spec.coffee
index 15dc3b8fa..4abd3b0db 100644
--- a/spec/config-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/config-spec.coffee
@@ -666,6 +666,23 @@ describe "Config", ->
               foo:
                 bar: 'coffee'
 
+      describe "when an error is thrown writing the file to disk", ->
+        addErrorHandler = null
+        beforeEach ->
+          atom.notifications.onDidAddNotification addErrorHandler = jasmine.createSpy()
+
+        it "creates a notification", ->
+          jasmine.unspy CSON, 'writeFileSync'
+          spyOn(CSON, 'writeFileSync').andCallFake ->
+            error = new Error()
+            error.code = 'EPERM'
+            error.path = atom.config.getUserConfigPath()
+            throw error
+
+          save = -> atom.config.save()
+          expect(save).not.toThrow()
+          expect(addErrorHandler.callCount).toBe 1
+
     describe ".loadUserConfig()", ->
       beforeEach ->
         expect(fs.existsSync(atom.config.configDirPath)).toBeFalsy()
diff --git a/src/config.coffee b/src/config.coffee
index d9695fb55..937bb1307 100644
--- a/src/config.coffee
+++ b/src/config.coffee
@@ -868,7 +868,12 @@ class Config
   save: ->
     allSettings = {'*': @settings}
     allSettings = _.extend allSettings, @scopedSettingsStore.propertiesForSource(@getUserConfigPath())
-    CSON.writeFileSync(@configFilePath, allSettings)
+    try
+      CSON.writeFileSync(@configFilePath, allSettings)
+    catch error
+      message = "Failed to save `#{path.basename(@configFilePath)}`"
+      detail = error.message
+      @notifyFailure(message, detail)
 
   ###
   Section: Private methods managing global settings