diff --git a/terminatorlib/config.py b/terminatorlib/config.py
index 2e555467..97583570 100644
--- a/terminatorlib/config.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/config.py
@@ -713,22 +713,55 @@ class ConfigBase(Borg):
         return filename
 
     def save_config_with_suffix(self, suffix):
-        filename = self.get_config_filename()
-        #save the current config, to revert any changes make in preferences
-        cur_loaded_file = filename + suffix
-        shutil.copy2(filename, cur_loaded_file)
+        try:
+            filename = self.get_config_filename()
+
+            #save the current config, to revert any changes make in preferences
+            #save the current config to config_dir path which is at least writable
+            cfg_filename    = os.path.join(get_config_dir(), 'config')
+            cur_loaded_file = cfg_filename + suffix
+
+            if os.path.exists(filename) and cur_loaded_file:
+                dbg('copy file:%s to' \
+                    ' file:%s' % (filename, cur_loaded_file))
+                shutil.copy2(filename, cur_loaded_file)
+            elif cur_loaded_file:
+                open(cur_loaded_file, 'a').close()
+            else:
+                err('ConfigBase:: Unable to get filename to save')
+        except Exception as ex:
+            err('ConfigBase::save_config_with_suffix' \
+                    ' Unable to save config: %s' % ex)
 
     def restore_config_with_suffix(self, suffix):
-        filename = self.get_config_filename()
-        cur_loaded_file = filename + suffix
-        dbg("restoring from file:%s to file:%s" % (cur_loaded_file, filename))
-        shutil.copy2(cur_loaded_file, filename)
+        try:
+            filename = self.get_config_filename()
+
+            cfg_filename    = os.path.join(get_config_dir(), 'config')
+            cur_loaded_file = cfg_filename + suffix
+            if os.path.exists(cur_loaded_file):
+                if not os.access(filename, os.W_OK):
+                    dbg('path:%s not writable' \
+                        ' restoring to path:%s' % (filename,cfg_filename))
+                    filename = cfg_filename
+
+                dbg('restore from file:%s to file:%s'
+                        % (cur_loaded_file, filename))
+                shutil.copy2(cur_loaded_file, filename)
+        except Exception as ex:
+            err('ConfigBase::restore_config_with_suffix' \
+                    ' Unable to restore config: %s' % ex)
 
     def remove_config_with_suffix(self, suffix):
-        filename = self.get_config_filename()
-        cur_loaded_file = filename + suffix
-        if os.path.exists(cur_loaded_file):
-            os.remove(cur_loaded_file)
+        try:
+            cfg_filename    = os.path.join(get_config_dir(), 'config')
+            cur_loaded_file = cfg_filename + suffix
+            if os.path.exists(cur_loaded_file):
+                dbg('remove file:%s' % (cur_loaded_file))
+                os.remove(cur_loaded_file)
+        except Exception as ex:
+            err('ConfigBase::remove_config_with_suffix' \
+                    ' Unable to remove config: %s' % ex)
 
     def reload(self):
         """Force a reload of the base config"""
@@ -795,7 +828,8 @@ class ConfigBase(Borg):
                 open(filename, 'a').close()
 
             backup_file = filename + '~'
-            shutil.copy2(filename, backup_file)
+            if os.path.exists(filename):
+                shutil.copy2(filename, backup_file)
 
             with open(filename, 'wb') as fh:
                 parser.write(fh)