diff --git a/script/configMerge.py b/script/configMerge.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09c3eee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/configMerge.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Configuration Merge Script
+# Merges user configuration with default settings
+# 2025 Kelly Keeton K7MHI mesh-around and its meshtastic
+import shutil
+import configparser
+import os
+
+
+def merge_configs(default_config_path, user_config_path, output_config_path):
+    # Load default configuration (INI)
+    default_config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    default_config.read(default_config_path)
+
+    # Load user configuration (INI)
+    user_config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    user_config.read(user_config_path)
+
+    # Merge configurations
+    for section in user_config.sections():
+        if not default_config.has_section(section):
+            default_config.add_section(section)
+        for key, value in user_config.items(section):
+            default_config.set(section, key, value)
+
+    # Save merged configuration as INI
+    with open(output_config_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+        default_config.write(f)
+
+def backup_config(config_path, backup_path):
+    shutil.copyfile(config_path, backup_path)
+
+def show_config_changes(user_config_path, merged_config_path):
+    if not os.path.exists(merged_config_path) or os.path.getsize(merged_config_path) == 0:
+        print(f"Error: {merged_config_path} is empty or missing!")
+        return
+
+    # Load user config (as dict)
+    user_config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    user_config.read(user_config_path)
+    user_dict = {s: dict(user_config.items(s)) for s in user_config.sections()}
+
+    # Load merged config (as dict)
+    merged_config = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    merged_config.read(merged_config_path)
+    merged_dict = {s: dict(merged_config.items(s)) for s in merged_config.sections()}
+
+    print("\n--- Changes in merged configuration ---")
+    for section in merged_dict:
+        if section not in user_dict:
+            print(f"[{section}] (new section)")
+            for k, v in merged_dict[section].items():
+                print(f"  {k} = {v} (added)")
+        else:
+            for k, v in merged_dict[section].items():
+                if k not in user_dict[section]:
+                    print(f"[{section}] {k} = {v} (added)")
+                elif user_dict[section][k] != v:
+                    print(f"[{section}] {k}: {user_dict[section][k]} -> {v} (changed)")
+    print("--- End of changes ---\n")
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    print("MESHING-AROUND: Configuration Merge Script for config.ini checking updates from config.template")
+    print("---------------------------------------------------------------")
+    master_config_path = 'config.template'
+    user_config_path = 'config.ini'
+    output_config = 'config_new.ini'
+    backup_config_path = 'config.bak'
+    try:
+        backup_config(user_config_path, backup_config_path)
+        print(f"Backup of user config created at {backup_config_path}")
+        merge_configs(master_config_path, user_config_path, output_config)
+        print(f"Merged configuration saved to {output_config}")
+        show_config_changes(user_config_path, output_config)
+        print("Please review the new configuration and replace your existing config.ini if needed.")
+        print(" cp config_new.ini config.ini")
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error during configuration merge: {e}")
diff --git a/update.sh b/update.sh
index c316d66..3a0d3da 100644
--- a/update.sh
+++ b/update.sh
@@ -55,6 +55,15 @@ else
     echo "Dependencies installed or updated."
 fi
 
+# Build a config_new.ini file merging user config with new defaults
+echo "Merging configuration files..."
+python3 script/configMerge.py > ini_merge_log.txt 2>&1
+if grep -q "Error during configuration merge" merge_log.txt; then
+    echo "Configuration merge encountered errors. Please check merge_log.txt for details."
+else
+    echo "Configuration merge completed. Please review config_new.ini and ini_merge_log.txt."
+fi
+
 # if service was stopped earlier, restart it
 if [ "$service_stopped" = true ]; then
     echo "Restarting services..."