diff --git a/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/cli-usage.md b/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/cli-usage.md
index a91daa1..16a64bc 100644
--- a/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/cli-usage.md
+++ b/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/cli-usage.md
@@ -14,10 +14,17 @@ Creates the directory structure used by Zola at the given directory.
 
 ```bash
 $ zola init my_site
+$ zola init
 ```
 
-will create a new folder named `my_site` and the files/folders needed by
-zola.
+If the `my_site` folder already exists, Zola will only populate it if it does not contain non-hidden files (dotfiles are ignored). If no `my_site` argument is passed, Zola will try to populate the current directory.
+
+You can initialize a git repository and a Zola site directly from within a new folder:
+
+```bash
+$ git init
+$ zola init
+```
 
 ## build
 
diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index c47710c..8951840 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub fn build_cli() -> App<'static, 'static> {
                 .about("Create a new Zola project")
                 .arg(
                     Arg::with_name("name")
-                        .required(true)
+                        .default_value(".")
                         .help("Name of the project. Will create a new directory with that name in the current directory")
                 ),
             SubCommand::with_name("build")
diff --git a/src/cmd/init.rs b/src/cmd/init.rs
index b263482..a243c1a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/init.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/init.rs
@@ -25,14 +25,41 @@ build_search_index = %SEARCH%
 # Put all your custom variables here
 "#;
 
+// Given a path, return true if it is a directory and it doesn't have any
+// non-hidden files, otherwise return false (path is assumed to exist)
+pub fn is_directory_quasi_empty(path: &Path) -> Result<bool> {
+    if path.is_dir() {
+        let mut entries = match path.read_dir() {
+            Ok(entries) => entries,
+            Err(e) => { bail!("Could not read `{}` because of error: {}", path.to_string_lossy().to_string(), e); }
+        };
+        // If any entry raises an error or isn't hidden (i.e. starts with `.`), we raise an error
+        if entries.any(|x| match x {
+            Ok(file) => !file.file_name().to_str().expect("Could not convert filename to &str").starts_with("."),
+            Err(_) => true
+        }) {
+            return Ok(false)
+        }
+        return Ok(true)
+    } else {
+        return Ok(false)
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn create_new_project(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let path = Path::new(name);
     // Better error message than the rust default
-    if path.exists() && path.is_dir() {
-        bail!("Folder `{}` already exists", path.to_string_lossy().to_string());
+    if path.exists() {
+        if !is_directory_quasi_empty(&path)? {
+            if name == "." {
+                bail!("The current directory is not an empty folder (hidden files are ignored).");
+            } else {
+                bail!("`{}` is not an empty folder (hidden files are ignored).", path.to_string_lossy().to_string())
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        create_dir(path)?;
     }
-
-    create_dir(path)?;
     console::info("Welcome to Zola!");
 
     let base_url = ask_url("> What is the URL of your site?", "https://example.com")?;
@@ -66,3 +93,57 @@ pub fn create_new_project(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     println!("Visit https://www.getzola.org for the full documentation.");
     Ok(())
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use std::env::temp_dir;
+    use std::fs::{create_dir,remove_dir,remove_dir_all};
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn init_empty_directory() {
+        let mut dir = temp_dir();
+        dir.push("test_empty_dir");
+        if dir.exists() {
+            remove_dir_all(&dir).expect("Could not free test directory");
+        }
+        create_dir(&dir).expect("Could not create test directory");
+        let allowed = is_directory_quasi_empty(&dir).expect("An error happened reading the directory's contents");
+        remove_dir(&dir).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(true, allowed);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn init_non_empty_directory() {
+        let mut dir = temp_dir();
+        dir.push("test_non_empty_dir");
+        if dir.exists() {
+            remove_dir_all(&dir).expect("Could not free test directory");
+        }
+        create_dir(&dir).expect("Could not create test directory");
+        let mut content = dir.clone();
+        content.push("content");
+        create_dir(&content).unwrap();
+        let allowed = is_directory_quasi_empty(&dir).expect("An error happened reading the directory's contents");
+        remove_dir(&content).unwrap();
+        remove_dir(&dir).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(false, allowed);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn init_quasi_empty_directory() {
+        let mut dir = temp_dir();
+        dir.push("test_quasi_empty_dir");
+        if dir.exists() {
+            remove_dir_all(&dir).expect("Could not free test directory");
+        }
+        create_dir(&dir).expect("Could not create test directory");
+        let mut git = dir.clone();
+        git.push(".git");
+        create_dir(&git).unwrap();
+        let allowed = is_directory_quasi_empty(&dir).expect("An error happened reading the directory's contents");
+        remove_dir(&git).unwrap();
+        remove_dir(&dir).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(true, allowed);
+    }
+}