diff --git a/core/cli/byte-compile.el b/core/cli/byte-compile.el
index ab65a3ad5..49121e0ff 100644
--- a/core/cli/byte-compile.el
+++ b/core/cli/byte-compile.el
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ and your private config files, respectively. To recompile your packages, use
   (let ((filename (file-name-nondirectory path)))
     (or (string-prefix-p "." filename)
         (string-prefix-p "test-" filename)
+        (string-suffix-p ".example.el" filename)
         (not (equal (file-name-extension path) "el"))
         (member filename (list "packages.el" "doctor.el")))))
 
diff --git a/core/cli/install.el b/core/cli/install.el
index 12e3e60d3..357487115 100644
--- a/core/cli/install.el
+++ b/core/cli/install.el
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ DOOMDIR environment variable. e.g.
               ("config.el" .
                (lambda ()
                  (insert-file-contents
-                  (doom-path doom-core-dir "templates/config.el"))))
+                  (doom-path doom-core-dir "templates/config.example.el"))))
               ("packages.el" .
                (lambda ()
                  (insert-file-contents
-                  (doom-path doom-core-dir "templates/packages.el")))))))
+                  (doom-path doom-core-dir "templates/packages.example.el")))))))
 
     ;; In case no init.el was present the first time `doom-initialize-modules' was
     ;; called in core.el (e.g. on first install)
diff --git a/core/templates/config.el b/core/templates/config.example.el
similarity index 100%
rename from core/templates/config.el
rename to core/templates/config.example.el
diff --git a/core/templates/packages.el b/core/templates/packages.example.el
similarity index 100%
rename from core/templates/packages.el
rename to core/templates/packages.example.el