diff --git a/docs/tasks.md b/docs/tasks.md
index ac33a5a..76b870e 100644
--- a/docs/tasks.md
+++ b/docs/tasks.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 8. [ ] setup cli commands.
    1. [x] Organize all the params.
    2. [x] Remove old cli.
-   3. [ ] add an actual config file.
+   3. [x] add an actual config file.
    4. [ ] set up the cli.
 9. [ ] fix ui overlap, and consistency issue.
 10. [ ] intensive integration test.
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 6a66ff0..a2f849e 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ impl Default for BoxConfig {
         Self {
             cpu_count: default_cpu_count(),
             ram_mb: default_ram_mb(),
-            mounts: Vec::new(),
+            mounts: default_mounts(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -71,6 +71,24 @@ fn default_auto_shutdown_ms() -> u64 {
     DEFAULT_AUTO_SHUTDOWN_MS
 }
 
+fn default_mounts() -> Vec<String> {
+    let home = match std::env::var("HOME") {
+        Ok(home) => PathBuf::from(home),
+        Err(_) => return Vec::new(),
+    };
+
+    let mut mounts = Vec::new();
+    let codex_host = home.join(".codex");
+    if codex_host.exists() {
+        mounts.push("~/.codex:/usr/local/codex:read-write".to_string());
+    }
+    let claude_host = home.join(".claude");
+    if claude_host.exists() {
+        mounts.push("~/.claude:/usr/local/claude:read-write".to_string());
+    }
+    mounts
+}
+
 pub fn config_path(project_root: &Path) -> PathBuf {
     project_root.join(CONFIG_FILENAME)
 }
diff --git a/src/vm.rs b/src/vm.rs
index d8d4361..43207d3 100644
--- a/src/vm.rs
+++ b/src/vm.rs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ impl DirectoryShare {
         if parts.len() < 2 || parts.len() > 3 {
             return Err(format!("Invalid mount spec: {spec}").into());
         }
-        let host = PathBuf::from(parts[0]);
+        let host = expand_tilde_path(parts[0]);
         let guest = PathBuf::from(parts[1]);
         let read_only = if parts.len() == 3 {
             match parts[2] {
@@ -117,6 +117,19 @@ impl DirectoryShare {
     }
 }
 
+fn expand_tilde_path(value: &str) -> PathBuf {
+    if let Some(stripped) = value.strip_prefix("~/") {
+        if let Ok(home) = env::var("HOME") {
+            return PathBuf::from(home).join(stripped);
+        }
+    } else if value == "~" {
+        if let Ok(home) = env::var("HOME") {
+            return PathBuf::from(home);
+        }
+    }
+    PathBuf::from(value)
+}
+
 pub struct VmArg {
     pub cpu_count: usize,
     pub ram_bytes: u64,
@@ -206,17 +219,6 @@ where
         );
 
         directory_shares.push(mise_directory_share);
-
-        // Add default shares, if they exist
-        for share in [
-            DirectoryShare::new(home.join(".codex"), "/usr/local/codex".into(), false),
-            DirectoryShare::new(home.join(".claude"), "/usr/local/claude".into(), false),
-        ]
-        .into_iter()
-        .flatten()
-        {
-            directory_shares.push(share)
-        }
     }
 
     directory_shares.extend(extra_directory_shares);
diff --git a/vibebox.toml b/vibebox.toml
index 86f0a63..2371ee3 100644
--- a/vibebox.toml
+++ b/vibebox.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 [box]
 cpu_count = 2
 ram_mb = 2048
-mounts = []
+mounts = [
+    "~/.codex:/usr/local/codex:read-write",
+    "~/.claude:/usr/local/claude:read-write",
+]
 
 [supervisor]
 auto_shutdown_ms = 20000