diff --git a/lib/herb/configuration.rb b/lib/herb/configuration.rb
index 4fbb64beb..d80042346 100644
--- a/lib/herb/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/herb/configuration.rb
@@ -28,12 +28,13 @@ class Configuration
     DEFAULTS_PATH = File.expand_path("defaults.yml", __dir__ || __FILE__).freeze
     DEFAULTS = YAML.safe_load_file(DEFAULTS_PATH).freeze
 
-    attr_reader :config, :config_path, :project_root
+    attr_reader :config, :user_config, :config_path, :project_root
 
     def initialize(project_path = nil)
       @start_path = project_path ? Pathname.new(project_path) : Pathname.pwd
       @config_path, @project_root = find_config_file
-      @config = load_config
+      @user_config = load_user_config
+      @config = deep_merge(DEFAULTS, @user_config)
     end
 
     def [](key)
@@ -256,26 +257,26 @@ def project_root?(path)
       end
     end
 
-    def load_config
-      return deep_merge(DEFAULTS, {}) unless @config_path&.exist?
+    def load_user_config
+      return {} unless @config_path&.exist?
 
       begin
-        user_config = YAML.safe_load_file(@config_path, permitted_classes: [Symbol]) || {}
-        deep_merge(DEFAULTS, user_config)
+        YAML.safe_load_file(@config_path, permitted_classes: [Symbol]) || {}
       rescue Psych::SyntaxError => e
         warn "Warning: Invalid YAML in #{@config_path}: #{e.message}"
-        deep_merge(DEFAULTS, {})
+
+        {}
       end
     end
 
     def deep_merge(base, override, additive_keys: ["include", "exclude"])
-      base.merge(override) do |key, old_val, new_val|
-        if old_val.is_a?(Hash) && new_val.is_a?(Hash)
-          deep_merge(old_val, new_val, additive_keys: additive_keys)
-        elsif old_val.is_a?(Array) && new_val.is_a?(Array) && additive_keys.include?(key)
-          old_val + new_val
+      base.merge(override) do |key, old_value, new_value|
+        if old_value.is_a?(Hash) && new_value.is_a?(Hash)
+          deep_merge(old_value, new_value, additive_keys: additive_keys)
+        elsif old_value.is_a?(Array) && new_value.is_a?(Array) && additive_keys.include?(key)
+          old_value + new_value
         else
-          new_val
+          new_value
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/sig/herb/configuration.rbs b/sig/herb/configuration.rbs
index 9b37706c4..3b4f6f697 100644
--- a/sig/herb/configuration.rbs
+++ b/sig/herb/configuration.rbs
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ module Herb
 
     attr_reader config: untyped
 
+    attr_reader user_config: untyped
+
     attr_reader config_path: untyped
 
     attr_reader project_root: untyped
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ module Herb
 
     def project_root?: (untyped path) -> untyped
 
-    def load_config: () -> untyped
+    def load_user_config: () -> untyped
 
     def deep_merge: (untyped base, untyped override, ?additive_keys: untyped) -> untyped
   end
diff --git a/test/configuration_test.rb b/test/configuration_test.rb
index b209ca930..53d8c00b4 100644
--- a/test/configuration_test.rb
+++ b/test/configuration_test.rb
@@ -766,4 +766,65 @@ def write_config(content, filename = ".herb.yml")
       assert_equal engine, config.template_engine
     end
   end
+
+  test "user_config is empty when no config file exists" do
+    config = Herb::Configuration.load(@temp_dir)
+
+    assert_equal({}, config.user_config)
+  end
+
+  test "user_config contains only user-specified values" do
+    write_config(<<~YAML)
+      framework: actionview
+    YAML
+
+    config = Herb::Configuration.load(@temp_dir)
+
+    assert_equal({ "framework" => "actionview" }, config.user_config)
+    refute config.user_config.key?("template_engine")
+    refute config.user_config.key?("files")
+  end
+
+  test "user_config does not include defaults" do
+    write_config(<<~YAML)
+      framework: actionview
+    YAML
+
+    config = Herb::Configuration.load(@temp_dir)
+
+    assert config.user_config.key?("framework")
+    refute config.user_config.key?("engine")
+
+    assert config.config.key?("engine")
+    assert config.config.key?("files")
+  end
+
+  test "user_config reflects nested values" do
+    write_config(<<~YAML)
+      engine:
+        optimize: true
+        parser_options:
+          strict: false
+    YAML
+
+    config = Herb::Configuration.load(@temp_dir)
+
+    assert_equal true, config.user_config.dig("engine", "optimize")
+    assert_equal false, config.user_config.dig("engine", "parser_options", "strict")
+    assert_nil config.user_config.dig("engine", "validators")
+  end
+
+  test "user_config key? can distinguish explicit values from defaults" do
+    write_config(<<~YAML)
+      framework: ruby
+    YAML
+
+    config = Herb::Configuration.load(@temp_dir)
+
+    assert config.user_config.key?("framework")
+    refute config.user_config.key?("template_engine")
+
+    assert_equal "ruby", config.framework
+    assert_equal "erubi", config.template_engine
+  end
 end