diff --git a/dotdrop/config.py b/dotdrop/config.py
index 816b6f3..14e021b 100644
--- a/dotdrop/config.py
+++ b/dotdrop/config.py
@@ -326,11 +326,20 @@ class Cfg:
 
         # handle "include" for each profile
         for k in self.lnk_profiles.keys():
-            dots = self._get_included_dotfiles(k)
+            ret, dots = self._get_included_dotfiles(k)
+            if not ret:
+                return False
             self.prodots[k].extend(dots)
-            # remove duplicates if any
+
+        # remove duplicates if any
+        for k in self.lnk_profiles.keys():
             self.prodots[k] = list(set(self.prodots[k]))
 
+        if self.debug:
+            for k in self.lnk_profiles.keys():
+                df = ','.join([d.key for d in self.prodots[k]])
+                self.log.dbg('dotfiles for \"{}\": {}'.format(k, df))
+
         # make sure we have an absolute dotpath
         self.curdotpath = self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath]
         self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath] = \
@@ -351,18 +360,23 @@ class Cfg:
             return os.path.join(d, path)
         return path
 
-    def _get_included_dotfiles(self, profile):
+    def _get_included_dotfiles(self, profile, seen=[]):
         """find all dotfiles for a specific profile
         when using the include keyword"""
-        included = []
+        if profile in seen:
+            self.log.err('cyclic include in profile \"{}\"'.format(profile))
+            return False, []
+        dotfiles = self.prodots[profile]
         if self.key_profiles_incl not in self.lnk_profiles[profile]:
             # no include found
-            return included
+            return True, dotfiles
         if not self.lnk_profiles[profile][self.key_profiles_incl]:
             # empty include found
-            return included
+            return True, dotfiles
         variables = self.get_variables(profile, debug=self.debug)
         t = Templategen(variables=variables)
+        if self.debug:
+            self.log.dbg('handle includes for profile \"{}\"'.format(profile))
         for other in self.lnk_profiles[profile][self.key_profiles_incl]:
             # resolve include value
             other = t.generate_string(other)
@@ -370,8 +384,17 @@ class Cfg:
                 # no such profile
                 self.log.warn('unknown included profile \"{}\"'.format(other))
                 continue
-            included.extend(self.prodots[other])
-        return included
+            if self.debug:
+                msg = 'include dotfiles from \"{}\" into \"{}\"'
+                self.log.dbg(msg.format(other, profile))
+            lseen = seen.copy()
+            lseen.append(profile)
+            ret, recincludes = self._get_included_dotfiles(other, seen=lseen)
+            if not ret:
+                return False, []
+            dotfiles.extend(recincludes)
+            dotfiles.extend(self.prodots[other])
+        return True, dotfiles
 
     def _parse_actions(self, entries):
         """parse actions specified for an element
diff --git a/tests-ng/recinclude.sh b/tests-ng/recinclude.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..fa78408
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/recinclude.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6
+#
+# test recursive include
+# returns 1 in case of error
+#
+
+# exit on first error
+set -e
+
+# all this crap to get current path
+rl="readlink -f"
+if ! ${rl} "${0}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  rl="realpath"
+
+  if ! hash ${rl}; then
+    echo "\"${rl}\" not found !" && exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+cur=$(dirname "$(${rl} "${0}")")
+
+#hash dotdrop >/dev/null 2>&1
+#[ "$?" != "0" ] && echo "install dotdrop to run tests" && exit 1
+
+#echo "called with ${1}"
+
+# dotdrop path can be pass as argument
+ddpath="${cur}/../"
+[ "${1}" != "" ] && ddpath="${1}"
+[ ! -d ${ddpath} ] && echo "ddpath \"${ddpath}\" is not a directory" && exit 1
+
+export PYTHONPATH="${ddpath}:${PYTHONPATH}"
+bin="python3 -m dotdrop.dotdrop"
+
+echo "dotdrop path: ${ddpath}"
+echo "pythonpath: ${PYTHONPATH}"
+
+# get the helpers
+source ${cur}/helpers
+
+echo -e "\e[96m\e[1m==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==\e[0m"
+
+################################################################
+# this is the test
+################################################################
+
+# the dotfile source
+tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
+# the dotfile destination
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  f_abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/abc
+    src: abc
+  f_def:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/def
+    src: def
+profiles:
+  host:
+    include:
+    - user
+  common:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_def
+  user:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_abc
+    include:
+    - common
+_EOF
+
+# create the source
+mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles/
+content_abc="testrecinclude_abc"
+echo "${content_abc}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+content_def="testrecinclude_def"
+echo "${content_def}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/def
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p host -V
+
+# checks
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/abc ] && echo "abc not installed" && exit 1
+echo "abc installed"
+grep ${content_abc} ${tmpd}/abc
+
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/def ] && echo "def not installed" && exit 1
+echo "def installed"
+grep ${content_def} ${tmpd}/def
+
+# test cyclic include
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  f_abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/abc
+    src: abc
+  f_def:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/def
+    src: def
+profiles:
+  host:
+    include:
+    - user
+  common:
+    include:
+    - host
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_def
+  user:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_abc
+    include:
+    - common
+_EOF
+
+# install
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p host -V
+[ "$?" = 0 ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0