diff --git a/lib/config/config-initializer.js b/lib/config/config-initializer.js
index 75cf6adbaf3..4a9ae068586 100644
--- a/lib/config/config-initializer.js
+++ b/lib/config/config-initializer.js
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ function getConfigForStyleGuide(guide) {
     const guides = {
         google: {extends: "google"},
         airbnb: {extends: "airbnb", plugins: ["react", "jsx-a11y", "import"]},
+        "airbnb-base": {extends: "airbnb-base", plugins: ["import"]},
         standard: {extends: "standard", plugins: ["standard", "promise"]}
     };
 
@@ -305,6 +306,15 @@ function promptUser(callback) {
                 return answers.source === "guide" && answers.packageJsonExists;
             }
         },
+        {
+            type: "confirm",
+            name: "airbnbReact",
+            message: "Do you use React?",
+            default: false,
+            when(answers) {
+                return answers.styleguide === "airbnb";
+            },
+        },
         {
             type: "input",
             name: "patterns",
@@ -337,7 +347,9 @@ function promptUser(callback) {
                 log.info("A package.json is necessary to install plugins such as style guides. Run `npm init` to create a package.json file and try again.");
                 return;
             }
-
+            if (earlyAnswers.styleguide === "airbnb" && !earlyAnswers.airbnbReact) {
+                earlyAnswers.styleguide = "airbnb-base";
+            }
             try {
                 config = getConfigForStyleGuide(earlyAnswers.styleguide);
                 writeFile(config, earlyAnswers.format);
@@ -390,7 +402,7 @@ function promptUser(callback) {
             {
                 type: "confirm",
                 name: "react",
-                message: "Do you use React",
+                message: "Do you use React?",
                 default: false,
                 when(answers) {
                     return answers.jsx;
diff --git a/tests/lib/config/config-initializer.js b/tests/lib/config/config-initializer.js
index 77c8188afdf..28ce3dfca51 100644
--- a/tests/lib/config/config-initializer.js
+++ b/tests/lib/config/config-initializer.js
@@ -188,6 +188,12 @@ describe("configInitializer", () => {
                 assert.deepEqual(config, {extends: "airbnb", installedESLint: true, plugins: ["react", "jsx-a11y", "import"]});
             });
 
+            it("should support the airbnb base style guide", () => {
+                const config = init.getConfigForStyleGuide("airbnb-base");
+
+                assert.deepEqual(config, {extends: "airbnb-base", installedESLint: true, plugins: ["import"]});
+            });
+
             it("should support the standard style guide", () => {
                 const config = init.getConfigForStyleGuide("standard");