diff --git a/dotdrop/config.py b/dotdrop/config.py
index fc613e3..560d453 100644
--- a/dotdrop/config.py
+++ b/dotdrop/config.py
@@ -203,6 +203,16 @@ class Cfg:
                 # ensures it's an empty list
                 v[self.key_profiles_dots] = []
 
+        # make sure we have an absolute dotpath
+        self.curdotpath = self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath]
+        self.lnk_settings[self.key_dotpath] = \
+            self._abs_path(self.curdotpath)
+
+        # make sure we have an absolute workdir
+        self.curworkdir = self.lnk_settings[self.key_workdir]
+        self.lnk_settings[self.key_workdir] = \
+            self._abs_path(self.curworkdir)
+
         # load external variables/dynvariables
         if self.key_include_vars in self.lnk_settings:
             paths = self.lnk_settings[self.key_include_vars]
@@ -379,17 +389,6 @@ class Cfg:
             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] = \
-            self._abs_path(self.curdotpath)
-
-        # make sure we have an absolute workdir
-        self.curworkdir = self.lnk_settings[self.key_workdir]
-        self.lnk_settings[self.key_workdir] = \
-            self._abs_path(self.curworkdir)
-
         return True
 
     def _load_ext_variables(self, paths, profile=None):
@@ -769,6 +768,11 @@ class Cfg:
         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]
+
         # global variables
         if self.key_variables in self.content:
             variables.update(self.content[self.key_variables])
diff --git a/tests-ng/dotdrop-variables.sh b/tests-ng/dotdrop-variables.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3978512
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/dotdrop-variables.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2019, deadc0de6
+#
+# test dotdrop auto-added variables
+# 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
+  workdir: /tmp/xxx
+dotfiles:
+  f_abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/abc
+    src: abc
+profiles:
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_abc
+_EOF
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# create the dotfile
+echo "dotpath: {{@@ _dotdrop_dotpath @@}}" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+echo "cfgpath: {{@@ _dotdrop_cfgpath @@}}" >> ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+echo "workdir: {{@@ _dotdrop_workdir @@}}" >> ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1
+
+#cat ${tmpd}/abc
+
+grep "^dotpath: ${tmps}/dotfiles$" ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+grep "^cfgpath: ${tmps}/config.yaml$" ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+grep "^workdir: /tmp/xxx$" ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0