diff --git a/blacklist b/blacklist.example
similarity index 100%
rename from blacklist
rename to blacklist.example
diff --git a/myhosts b/myhosts.example
similarity index 100%
rename from myhosts
rename to myhosts.example
diff --git a/testUpdateHostsFile.py b/testUpdateHostsFile.py
index e9fdc308b..e8b678d5b 100644
--- a/testUpdateHostsFile.py
+++ b/testUpdateHostsFile.py
@@ -904,44 +904,10 @@ class TestWriteOpeningHeader(BaseMockDir):
         ):
             self.assertNotIn(expected, contents)
 
-    def test_no_preamble(self):
-        # We should not even attempt to read this, as it is a directory.
-        hosts_dir = os.path.join(self.test_dir, "myhosts")
-        os.mkdir(hosts_dir)
-
-        kwargs = dict(extensions="", outputsubfolder="",
-                      numberofrules=5, skipstatichosts=True)
-
-        with self.mock_property("updateHostsFile.BASEDIR_PATH"):
-            updateHostsFile.BASEDIR_PATH = self.test_dir
-            write_opening_header(self.final_file, **kwargs)
-
-        contents = self.final_file.getvalue()
-        contents = contents.decode("UTF-8")
-
-        # Expected contents.
-        for expected in (
-            "# This hosts file is a merged collection",
-            "# with a dash of crowd sourcing via Github",
-            "# Number of unique domains: {count}".format(
-                count=kwargs["numberofrules"]),
-            "Fetch the latest version of this file:",
-            "Project home page: https://github.com/StevenBlack/hosts",
-        ):
-            self.assertIn(expected, contents)
-
-        # Expected non-contents.
-        for expected in (
-            "# Extensions added to this file:",
-            "127.0.0.1 localhost",
-            "127.0.0.1 local",
-            "127.0.0.53",
-            "127.0.1.1",
-        ):
-            self.assertNotIn(expected, contents)
-
-    def test_preamble(self):
+    def _check_preamble(self, check_copy):
         hosts_file = os.path.join(self.test_dir, "myhosts")
+        hosts_file += ".example" if check_copy else ""
+
         with open(hosts_file, "w") as f:
             f.write("peter-piper-picked-a-pepper")
 
@@ -977,6 +943,12 @@ class TestWriteOpeningHeader(BaseMockDir):
         ):
             self.assertNotIn(expected, contents)
 
+    def test_preamble_exists(self):
+        self._check_preamble(True)
+
+    def test_preamble_copy(self):
+        self._check_preamble(False)
+
     def tearDown(self):
         super(TestWriteOpeningHeader, self).tearDown()
         self.final_file.close()
diff --git a/updateHostsFile.py b/updateHostsFile.py
index ecf8911b0..307ad2158 100644
--- a/updateHostsFile.py
+++ b/updateHostsFile.py
@@ -641,9 +641,10 @@ def create_initial_file():
             with open(filename, "r") as curFile:
                 write_data(merge_file, curFile.read())
 
-    if os.path.isfile(settings["blacklistfile"]):
-        with open(settings["blacklistfile"], "r") as curFile:
-            write_data(merge_file, curFile.read())
+    maybe_copy_example_file(settings["blacklistfile"])
+
+    with open(settings["blacklistfile"], "r") as curFile:
+        write_data(merge_file, curFile.read())
 
     return merge_file
 
@@ -739,12 +740,13 @@ def remove_dups_and_excl(merge_file, exclusion_regexes, output_file=None):
     """
 
     number_of_rules = settings["numberofrules"]
-    if os.path.isfile(settings["whitelistfile"]):
-        with open(settings["whitelistfile"], "r") as ins:
-            for line in ins:
-                line = line.strip(" \t\n\r")
-                if line and not line.startswith("#"):
-                    settings["exclusions"].append(line)
+    maybe_copy_example_file(settings["whitelistfile"])
+
+    with open(settings["whitelistfile"], "r") as ins:
+        for line in ins:
+            line = line.strip(" \t\n\r")
+            if line and not line.startswith("#"):
+                settings["exclusions"].append(line)
 
     if not os.path.exists(settings["outputpath"]):
         os.makedirs(settings["outputpath"])
@@ -956,10 +958,10 @@ def write_opening_header(final_file, **header_params):
         write_data(final_file, "\n")
 
     preamble = path_join_robust(BASEDIR_PATH, "myhosts")
+    maybe_copy_example_file(preamble)
 
-    if os.path.isfile(preamble):
-        with open(preamble, "r") as f:
-            write_data(final_file, f.read())
+    with open(preamble, "r") as f:
+        write_data(final_file, f.read())
 
     final_file.write(file_contents)
 
@@ -1213,6 +1215,23 @@ def domain_to_idna(line):
 
 
 # Helper Functions
+def maybe_copy_example_file(file_path):
+    """
+    Given a file path, copy over its ".example" if the path doesn't exist.
+
+    If the path does exist, nothing happens in this function.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    file_path : str
+        The full file path to check.
+    """
+
+    if not os.path.isfile(file_path):
+        example_file_path = file_path + ".example"
+        shutil.copyfile(example_file_path, file_path)
+
+
 def get_file_by_url(url):
     """
     Get a file data located at a particular URL.
diff --git a/whitelist b/whitelist.example
similarity index 100%
rename from whitelist
rename to whitelist.example