diff -r 8b1418e5dcc8 Lib/idlelib/EditorWindow.py
--- a/Lib/idlelib/EditorWindow.py	Wed Oct 28 03:14:56 2015 -0400
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/EditorWindow.py	Thu Oct 29 04:53:00 2015 -0400
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
             self.tkinter_vars = {}  # keys: Tkinter event names
                                     # values: Tkinter variable instances
             self.top.instance_dict = {}
-        self.recent_files_path = os.path.join(idleConf.GetUserCfgDir(),
+        self.recent_files_path = os.path.join(idleConf.userdir,
                 'recent-files.lst')
         self.text_frame = text_frame = Frame(top)
         self.vbar = vbar = Scrollbar(text_frame, name='vbar')
diff -r 8b1418e5dcc8 Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py
--- a/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py	Wed Oct 28 03:14:56 2015 -0400
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py	Thu Oct 29 04:53:00 2015 -0400
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
         self.text.bind("<<clear-breakpoint-here>>", self.clear_breakpoint_here)
         self.text.bind("<<open-python-shell>>", self.flist.open_shell)
 
-        self.breakpointPath = os.path.join(idleConf.GetUserCfgDir(),
+        self.breakpointPath = os.path.join(idleConf.userdir,
                                            'breakpoints.lst')
         # whenever a file is changed, restore breakpoints
         def filename_changed_hook(old_hook=self.io.filename_change_hook,
diff -r 8b1418e5dcc8 Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py
--- a/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py	Wed Oct 28 03:14:56 2015 -0400
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py	Thu Oct 29 04:53:00 2015 -0400
@@ -20,11 +20,28 @@
 
 import os
 import sys
+import shutil  # shutil, tempfile, weakref for TempDir
+import tempfile
+import weakref
 
 from configparser import ConfigParser
 from tkinter import TkVersion
 from tkinter.font import Font, nametofont
 
+class TempDir():
+    """Reduce tempfile.TemporaryDirectory to exit cleanup.
+
+    t.TK is not in 2.7, don't need args, context manager, or warning.
+    A reference must be kept to the instance, not just its name.
+    """
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.name = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        self._finalizer = weakref.finalize(
+            self, self._cleanup, self.name)
+    @classmethod
+    def _cleanup(cls, name):
+        shutil.rmtree(name)
+
 class InvalidConfigType(Exception): pass
 class InvalidConfigSet(Exception): pass
 class InvalidFgBg(Exception): pass
@@ -167,7 +184,7 @@
             idleDir=os.path.dirname(__file__)
         else: # we were exec'ed (for testing only)
             idleDir=os.path.abspath(sys.path[0])
-        userDir=self.GetUserCfgDir()
+        userDir = self.userdir = self.GetUserCfgDir()
 
         defCfgFiles = {}
         usrCfgFiles = {}
@@ -205,11 +222,18 @@
             try:
                 os.mkdir(userDir)
             except OSError:
-                warn = ('\n Warning: unable to create user config directory\n' +
-                        userDir + '\n Check path and permissions.\n Exiting!\n')
-                print(warn, file=sys.stderr)
-                raise SystemExit
-        # TODO continue without userDIr instead of exit
+                baddir = userDir
+                t = self._temp_userdir = TempDir()
+                userDir = os.path.join(t.name, cfgDir)
+                warn = ("\n Warning: cannot create user config directory\n"
+                       "%s\Trying temporary directory\n%s\n"
+                       "This will be deleted when IDLE exits."
+                       % (baddir, userDir))
+                try:
+                    print(warn, file=sys.stderr)
+                except OSError:
+                    pass
+                os.mkdir(userDir)
         return userDir
 
     def GetOption(self, configType, section, option, default=None, type=None,