diff --git a/dotdrop/config.py b/dotdrop/config.py
index e0a44ba..657de76 100644
--- a/dotdrop/config.py
+++ b/dotdrop/config.py
@@ -1118,31 +1118,39 @@ class Cfg:
                 t.update_variables(variables)
         return variables
 
-    def _get_variables(self, profile=None):
+    def _get_variables(self, profile=None, sub=False):
         """return the un-interpreted variables"""
         variables = {}
 
-        # profile variable
-        if profile:
-            variables['profile'] = profile
+        if not sub:
+            # profile variable
+            if profile:
+                variables['profile'] = profile
 
-        # add paths variables
-        variables['_dotdrop_dotpath'] = self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath]
-        variables['_dotdrop_cfgpath'] = self.cfgpath
-        variables['_dotdrop_workdir'] = self.lnk_settings[self.key_workdir]
+            # add paths variables
+            variables['_dotdrop_dotpath'] = self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath]
+            variables['_dotdrop_cfgpath'] = self.cfgpath
+            variables['_dotdrop_workdir'] = self.lnk_settings[self.key_workdir]
 
-        # global variables
-        if self.key_variables in self.content:
-            variables.update(self.content[self.key_variables])
+            # global variables
+            if self.key_variables in self.content:
+                variables.update(self.content[self.key_variables])
 
-        # external variables
-        variables.update(self.ext_variables)
+            # external variables
+            variables.update(self.ext_variables)
 
         if not profile or profile not in self.lnk_profiles:
             return variables
 
-        # profile variables
         var = self.lnk_profiles[profile]
+
+        # inherited profile variables
+        if self.key_profiles_incl in var.keys():
+            for inherited_profile in var[self.key_profiles_incl]:
+                inherited_vars = self._get_variables(inherited_profile, True)
+                variables.update(inherited_vars)
+
+        # finally we override with profile variables
         if self.key_variables in var.keys():
             for k, v in var[self.key_variables].items():
                 variables[k] = v
diff --git a/tests-ng/variables-include.sh b/tests-ng/variables-include.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..46e22a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/variables-include.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6
+#
+# test variables from yaml file
+# 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
+#echo "dotfile source: ${tmps}"
+# the dotfile destination
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+#echo "dotfile destination: ${tmpd}"
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+variables:
+  var1: "this is some test"
+  var2: 12
+  var3: another test
+dotfiles:
+  f_abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/abc
+    src: abc
+profiles:
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_abc
+    variables:
+      var1: "this is some sub-test"
+  p2:
+    include:
+    - p1
+    variables:
+      var2: 42
+_EOF
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# create the dotfile
+echo "{{@@ var1 @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+echo "{{@@ var2 @@}}" >> ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+echo "{{@@ var3 @@}}" >> ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+echo "test" >> ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1
+
+grep '^this is some sub-test' ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+grep '^12' ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+grep '^another test' ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p2
+
+grep '^this is some sub-test' ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+grep '^42' ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+grep '^another test' ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+
+#cat ${tmpd}/abc
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0