diff --git a/src/profiles/app.py b/src/profiles/app.py
index e704ef0..11abf63 100644
--- a/src/profiles/app.py
+++ b/src/profiles/app.py
@@ -523,13 +523,11 @@ def init_default_config(dest: Path | None = None) -> Path:
         )
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    from profiles.core.config.template import STARTER_CONFIG_TEMPLATE
+    from profiles.core.actions import ActionStatus, write_starter_config
 
-    body = STARTER_CONFIG_TEMPLATE.format(cwd=str(Path.cwd()))
-    try:
-        target.write_text(body, encoding="utf-8")
-    except OSError as exc:
-        print(f"Error: Could not write configuration file: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
+    result = write_starter_config(target)
+    if result.status is not ActionStatus.SUCCESS:
+        print(f"Error: Could not write configuration file: {result.message}", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
 
     print(f"Default configuration created: {target}")
diff --git a/src/profiles/core/actions.py b/src/profiles/core/actions.py
index 4cb7219..74dd8f5 100644
--- a/src/profiles/core/actions.py
+++ b/src/profiles/core/actions.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 from enum import Enum
 from pathlib import Path
 
+from profiles.core.config.io.yaml_io import write_text_atomic
 from profiles.core.config.models import AppConfig, WorkflowStep
 from profiles.core.config.template import STARTER_CONFIG_TEMPLATE
 from profiles.core.environment.matcher import select_most_specific_pattern
@@ -296,26 +297,29 @@ def launch_selected_file(
 def write_starter_config(
     path: Path,
     *,
+    cwd: Path | str | None = None,
     logger: logging.Logger | None = None,
 ) -> ActionResult:
     """Write the documented starter ``.profiles`` to *path*.
 
     The parent directory must already exist. The template embeds
-    ``str(Path.cwd())`` as the default ``search_dir`` so the GUI's
-    Directory field always has a usable fallback.
+    ``str(Path.cwd())`` (or *cwd* if provided) as the default ``search_dir``
+    so the GUI's Directory field always has a usable fallback.
 
     Args:
         path: Target path for the new ``.profiles`` file.
+        cwd: Optional directory for template substitution (default: CWD).
         logger: Optional logger used to record the write.
 
     Returns:
         ``ActionResult`` describing the outcome.
     """
     target = Path(path)
-    body = STARTER_CONFIG_TEMPLATE.format(cwd=str(Path.cwd()))
+    search_cwd = str(cwd) if cwd is not None else str(Path.cwd())
+    body = STARTER_CONFIG_TEMPLATE.format(cwd=search_cwd)
 
     try:
-        target.write_text(body, encoding="utf-8")
+        write_text_atomic(target, body)
     except OSError as exc:
         if logger is not None:
             events.config_create_failed(logger, error=str(exc))
diff --git a/src/profiles/core/config/loader.py b/src/profiles/core/config/loader.py
index 832b17e..e0f59cd 100644
--- a/src/profiles/core/config/loader.py
+++ b/src/profiles/core/config/loader.py
@@ -72,16 +72,15 @@ def propose_config_creation() -> bool:
             print(f"Warning: {target} already exists. Creation skipped.")
             return False
 
-        from profiles.core.config.template import STARTER_CONFIG_TEMPLATE
+        from profiles.core.actions import ActionStatus, write_starter_config
 
-        body = STARTER_CONFIG_TEMPLATE.format(cwd=str(Path.cwd()))
-        try:
-            target.write_text(body, encoding="utf-8")
+        result = write_starter_config(target)
+        if result.status is ActionStatus.SUCCESS:
             print(f"\n✓ Default configuration created: {target}")
             print("\nYou can now customize this file to suit your needs.")
             return True
-        except OSError as exc:
-            print(f"\n✗ Error creating configuration file: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
+        else:
+            print(f"\n✗ Error creating configuration file: {result.message}", file=sys.stderr)
             return False
 
     print("\nContinuing with default settings.")
diff --git a/tests/core/config/test_loader.py b/tests/core/config/test_loader.py
index ecc3a67..d98f8b8 100644
--- a/tests/core/config/test_loader.py
+++ b/tests/core/config/test_loader.py
@@ -135,13 +135,8 @@ def test_write_error_returns_false(
         monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
         monkeypatch.setattr("builtins.input", lambda: "y")
 
-        real_write = Path.write_text
-
-        def failing_write(self, *args, **kwargs):  # noqa: ANN001
+        def failing_write(*args, **kwargs):  # noqa: ANN001
             raise OSError("denied")
 
-        monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "write_text", failing_write)
-        try:
-            assert propose_config_creation() is False
-        finally:
-            monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "write_text", real_write)
+        monkeypatch.setattr("profiles.core.actions.write_text_atomic", failing_write)
+        assert propose_config_creation() is False
diff --git a/tests/core/test_actions.py b/tests/core/test_actions.py
index 77f6b04..75e87c4 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_actions.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_actions.py
@@ -214,6 +214,27 @@ def test_writes_documented_file(self, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
         assert config.configurations
         assert config.configurations[0].match.hostname == ("*",)
 
+    def test_uses_atomic_write(self, tmp_path: Path, mocker) -> None:
+        """write_starter_config delegates to write_text_atomic for atomicity."""
+        target = tmp_path / ".profiles"
+        mock_atomic = mocker.patch("profiles.core.actions.write_text_atomic")
+
+        result = write_starter_config(target)
+
+        assert result.status is ActionStatus.SUCCESS
+        mock_atomic.assert_called_once()
+        assert mock_atomic.call_args[0][0] == target
+
+    def test_writes_with_custom_cwd(self, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+        """Custom cwd is embedded in search_dir instead of Path.cwd()."""
+        target = tmp_path / ".profiles"
+        custom_dir = tmp_path / "custom_workdir"
+        result = write_starter_config(target, cwd=custom_dir)
+
+        assert result.status is ActionStatus.SUCCESS
+        body = target.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert str(custom_dir) in body
+
 
 class TestSaveCsvExport:
     """Tests for save_csv_export()."""
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index cd0bb57..3ee8b53 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -572,6 +572,23 @@ def test_default_dest_is_cwd(self, tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch) -> None:
         assert result == tmp_path / ".profiles"
         assert result.exists()
 
+    def test_delegates_to_write_starter_config(self, tmp_path: Path, mocker) -> None:
+        """init_default_config delegates writing to write_starter_config."""
+        from profiles.core.actions import ActionResult, ActionStatus
+        target = tmp_path / ".profiles"
+        mock_writer = mocker.patch(
+            "profiles.core.actions.write_starter_config",
+            return_value=ActionResult(
+                status=ActionStatus.SUCCESS,
+                message="written",
+                path=target,
+            ),
+        )
+
+        result = init_default_config(dest=tmp_path)
+        assert result == target
+        mock_writer.assert_called_once_with(target)
+
 
 # ── main() ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────