diff --git a/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py b/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
index c4a49b7..3977864 100644
--- a/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
+++ b/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ class CfgYaml:
 
         # dotfiles
         self.dotfiles = self._get_entry(self.yaml_dict, self.key_dotfiles)
+        self.dotfiles = self._norm_dotfiles(self.dotfiles)
         if self.debug:
             self.log.dbg('dotfiles: {}'.format(self.dotfiles))
 
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ class CfgYaml:
         # actions
         self.actions = self._get_entry(self.yaml_dict, self.key_actions,
                                        mandatory=False)
-        self.actions = self._patch_actions(self.actions)
+        self.actions = self._norm_actions(self.actions)
         if self.debug:
             self.log.dbg('actions: {}'.format(self.actions))
 
@@ -246,7 +247,7 @@ class CfgYaml:
 
         return allvars
 
-    def _patch_actions(self, actions):
+    def _norm_actions(self, actions):
         """
         ensure each action is either pre or post explicitely
         action entry of the form {action_key: (pre|post, action)}
@@ -262,6 +263,19 @@ class CfgYaml:
                 new[k] = (self.action_pre, v)
         return new
 
+    def _norm_dotfiles(self, dotfiles):
+        """add 'src' as 'key if not present"""
+        if not dotfiles:
+            return dotfiles
+        new = {}
+        for k, v in dotfiles.items():
+            if self.key_dotfile_src not in v:
+                v[self.key_dotfile_src] = k
+                new[k] = v
+            else:
+                new[k] = v
+        return new
+
     def _get_variables_dict(self, profile, seen, sub=False):
         """return enriched variables"""
         variables = {}
@@ -352,7 +366,7 @@ class CfgYaml:
                     self.log.dbg('import actions from {}'.format(path))
                 self.actions = self._import_sub(path, self.key_actions,
                                                 self.actions, mandatory=False,
-                                                patch_func=self._patch_actions)
+                                                patch_func=self._norm_actions)
 
         # profiles -> import
         for k, v in self.profiles.items():
@@ -365,7 +379,8 @@ class CfgYaml:
                 current = v.get(self.key_dotfiles, [])
                 path = self.resolve_path(p)
                 current = self._import_sub(path, self.key_dotfiles,
-                                           current, mandatory=False)
+                                           current, mandatory=False,
+                                           path_func=self._norm_dotfiles)
                 v[self.key_dotfiles] = current
 
     def _resolve_import_configs(self):
diff --git a/tests-ng/dotfile-no-src.sh b/tests-ng/dotfile-no-src.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4e3ffa3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/dotfile-no-src.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2019, deadc0de6
+#
+# test dotfiles with no 'src'
+# returns 1 in case of error
+#
+
+# exit on first error
+set -e
+#set -v
+
+# 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 "dotfiles source (dotpath): ${tmps}"
+# the dotfile destination
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+echo "dotfiles destination: ${tmpd}"
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/abc
+profiles:
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - ALL
+_EOF
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# create the dotfiles
+echo "abc" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+
+###########################
+# test install and compare
+###########################
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1 -b -V
+[ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
+
+# checks
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/abc ] && exit 1
+grep 'abc' ${tmpd}/abc
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd} ${tmpx} ${tmpy}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0