diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cfbca22..b7d2302 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -443,13 +443,14 @@ the following entries:
 
 * **config** entry: contains settings for the deployment
   * `backup`: create a backup of the dotfile in case it differs from the
-    one that will be installed by dotdrop
+    one that will be installed by dotdrop (default *true*)
   * `create`: create directory hierarchy when installing dotfiles if
-    it doesn't exist
+    it doesn't exist (default *true*)
   * `dotpath`: path to the directory containing the dotfiles to be managed
     by dotdrop (absolute path or relative to the config file location)
-  * `banner`: display the banner
-  * `longkey`: use long keys for dotfiles when importing
+  * `banner`: display the banner (default *true*)
+  * `longkey`: use long keys for dotfiles when importing (default *false*)
+  * `keepdot`: preserve leading dot when importing hidden file in the `dotpath` (default *false*)
 
 * **dotfiles** entry: a list of dotfiles
   * When `link` is true, dotdrop will create a symlink instead of copying. Template generation (as in [template](#template)) is not supported when `link` is true.
diff --git a/dotdrop/config.py b/dotdrop/config.py
index fe00270..dd328d6 100644
--- a/dotdrop/config.py
+++ b/dotdrop/config.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class Cfg:
     key_create = 'create'
     key_banner = 'banner'
     key_long = 'longkey'
+    key_keepdot = 'keepdot'
 
     # actions keys
     key_actions = 'actions'
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ class Cfg:
     default_banner = True
     default_link = False
     default_longkey = False
+    default_keepdot = False
 
     def __init__(self, cfgpath):
         if not os.path.exists(cfgpath):
@@ -281,6 +283,8 @@ class Cfg:
             self.lnk_settings[self.key_banner] = self.default_banner
         if self.key_long not in self.lnk_settings:
             self.lnk_settings[self.key_long] = self.default_longkey
+        if self.key_keepdot not in self.lnk_settings:
+            self.lnk_settings[self.key_keepdot] = self.default_keepdot
 
     def get_abs(self, path):
         """transform path to an absolute path based on config path"""
@@ -473,16 +477,10 @@ class Cfg:
         # temporary reset dotpath
         dotpath = self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath]
         self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath] = self.curdotpath
-        # reset banner
-        if self.lnk_settings[self.key_banner]:
-            del self.lnk_settings[self.key_banner]
         # dump
         ret = yaml.dump(self.content, default_flow_style=False, indent=2)
         # restore dotpath
         self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath] = dotpath
-        # restore banner
-        if self.key_banner not in self.lnk_settings:
-            self.lnk_settings[self.key_banner] = self.default_banner
         return ret
 
     def save(self):
@@ -490,14 +488,8 @@ class Cfg:
         # temporary reset dotpath
         dotpath = self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath]
         self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath] = self.curdotpath
-        # reset banner
-        if self.lnk_settings[self.key_banner]:
-            del self.lnk_settings[self.key_banner]
         # save
         ret = self._save(self.content, self.cfgpath)
         # restore dotpath
         self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath] = dotpath
-        # restore banner
-        if self.key_banner not in self.lnk_settings:
-            self.lnk_settings[self.key_banner] = self.default_banner
         return ret
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 9bbc0c4..81441a5 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -239,7 +239,10 @@ def importer(opts, conf, paths):
         src = dst
         if dst.startswith(home):
             src = dst[len(home):]
-        src = src.lstrip('.' + os.sep)
+        strip = '.' + os.sep
+        if opts['keepdot']:
+            strip = os.sep
+        src = src.lstrip(strip)
 
         # create a new dotfile
         dotfile = Dotfile('', dst, src)