diff --git a/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py b/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py
index d7b3437..32d59f4 100644
--- a/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py
+++ b/dotdrop/cfg_aggregator.py
@@ -100,14 +100,17 @@ class CfgAggregator:
             path = os.path.join(TILD, path)
         return path
 
-    def get_dotfile_by_dst(self, dst):
+    def get_dotfile_by_dst(self, dst, profile_key=None):
         """
         get a list of dotfiles by dst
         @dst: dotfile dst (on filesystem)
         """
         dotfiles = []
         dst = self._norm_path(dst)
-        for dotfile in self.dotfiles:
+        dfs = self.dotfiles
+        if profile_key:
+            dfs = self.get_dotfiles(profile_key=profile_key)
+        for dotfile in dfs:
             left = self._norm_path(dotfile.dst)
             if left == dst:
                 dotfiles.append(dotfile)
@@ -153,10 +156,14 @@ class CfgAggregator:
         """return profiles"""
         return self.profiles
 
-    def get_profile(self):
+    def get_profile(self, key=None):
         """return profile object"""
+        pro = self.profile_key
+        if key:
+            pro = key
+
         try:
-            return next(x for x in self.profiles if x.key == self.profile_key)
+            return next(x for x in self.profiles if x.key == pro)
         except StopIteration:
             return None
 
@@ -169,21 +176,27 @@ class CfgAggregator:
                 res.append(profile)
         return res
 
-    def get_dotfiles(self):
-        """get all dotfiles for this profile"""
+    def get_dotfiles(self, profile_key=None):
+        """get all dotfiles for this profile or specified profile key"""
         dotfiles = []
-        profile = self.get_profile()
+        profile = self.get_profile(key=profile_key)
         if not profile:
             return dotfiles
         return profile.dotfiles
 
-    def get_dotfile(self, key):
+    def get_dotfile(self, key, profile_key=None):
         """
         return dotfile object by key
         @key: the dotfile key to look for
         """
+        dfs = self.dotfiles
+        if profile_key:
+            profile = self.get_profile(key=profile_key)
+            if not profile:
+                return None
+            dfs = profile.dotfiles
         try:
-            return next(x for x in self.dotfiles
+            return next(x for x in dfs
                         if x.key == key)
         except StopIteration:
             return None
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 2aecd62..b66f71c 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def _dotfile_update(opts, path, key=False):
     update a dotfile pointed by path
     if key is false or by key (in path)
     """
-    updater = Updater(opts.dotpath, opts.variables, opts.conf,
+    updater = Updater(opts.dotpath, opts.variables, opts.conf, opts.profile,
                       dry=opts.dry, safe=opts.safe, debug=opts.debug,
                       ignore=opts.update_ignore,
                       showpatch=opts.update_showpatch,
diff --git a/dotdrop/importer.py b/dotdrop/importer.py
index 4332453..143c035 100644
--- a/dotdrop/importer.py
+++ b/dotdrop/importer.py
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ class Importer:
         test no other dotfile exists with same
         dst for this profile but different src
         """
-        dfs = self.conf.get_dotfile_by_dst(dst)
+        dfs = self.conf.get_dotfile_by_dst(dst, profile_key=self.profile)
         if not dfs:
             return False
         for dotfile in dfs:
diff --git a/dotdrop/updater.py b/dotdrop/updater.py
index dc033dc..7340e33 100644
--- a/dotdrop/updater.py
+++ b/dotdrop/updater.py
@@ -25,13 +25,14 @@ class Updater:
     """dotfiles updater"""
 
     def __init__(self, dotpath, variables, conf,
-                 dry=False, safe=True, debug=False,
-                 ignore=None, showpatch=False,
+                 profile_key, dry=False, safe=True,
+                 debug=False, ignore=None, showpatch=False,
                  ignore_missing_in_dotdrop=False):
         """constructor
         @dotpath: path where dotfiles are stored
         @variables: dictionary of variables for the templates
         @conf: configuration manager
+        @profile_key: the profile key
         @dry: simulate
         @safe: ask for overwrite if True
         @debug: enable debug
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ class Updater:
         self.dotpath = dotpath
         self.variables = variables
         self.conf = conf
+        self.profile_key = profile_key
         self.dry = dry
         self.safe = safe
         self.debug = debug
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ class Updater:
         if not os.path.lexists(path):
             self.log.err('\"{}\" does not exist!'.format(path))
             return False
-        dotfiles = self.conf.get_dotfile_by_dst(path)
+        dotfiles = self.conf.get_dotfile_by_dst(path,
+                                                profile_key=self.profile_key)
         if not dotfiles:
             return False
         for dotfile in dotfiles:
@@ -78,8 +81,11 @@ class Updater:
 
     def update_key(self, key):
         """update the dotfile referenced by key"""
-        dotfile = self.conf.get_dotfile(key)
+        dotfile = self.conf.get_dotfile(key, profile_key=self.profile_key)
         if not dotfile:
+            self.log.dbg('no such dotfile: \"{}\"'.format(key))
+            msg = 'invalid dotfile for update: {}'
+            self.log.err(msg.format(key))
             return False
         self.log.dbg('updating {} from key \"{}\"'.format(dotfile, key))
         path = self.conf.path_to_dotfile_dst(dotfile.dst)
diff --git a/tests-ng/update-profile-check.sh b/tests-ng/update-profile-check.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e8283b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/update-profile-check.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2021, deadc0de6
+#
+# test update dotfile from different profile
+# 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}")")
+
+# 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"
+hash coverage 2>/dev/null && bin="coverage run -a --source=dotdrop -m dotdrop.dotdrop" || true
+
+echo "dotdrop path: ${ddpath}"
+echo "pythonpath: ${PYTHONPATH}"
+
+# get the helpers
+source ${cur}/helpers
+
+echo -e "$(tput setaf 6)==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==$(tput sgr0)"
+
+################################################################
+# this is the test
+################################################################
+
+# $1 pattern
+# $2 path
+grep_or_fail()
+{
+  grep "${1}" "${2}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "pattern not found in ${2}" && exit 1)
+}
+
+# dotdrop directory
+tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests-source' || mktemp -d`
+dt="${tmps}/dotfiles"
+mkdir -p ${dt}
+
+xori="profile x"
+xori="profile y"
+echo "${xori}" > ${dt}/file_x
+echo "${yori}" > ${dt}/file_y
+
+# fs dotfiles
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests-dest' || mktemp -d`
+touch ${tmpd}/file
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: false
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  f_file_x:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/file
+    src: file_x
+  f_file_y:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/file
+    src: file_y
+profiles:
+  x:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_file_x
+  y:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_file_y
+_EOF
+cat ${cfg}
+
+# reset
+echo "${xori}" > ${dt}/file_x
+echo "${yori}" > ${dt}/file_y
+
+# test with key
+echo "test update x from key"
+n="patched content for X"
+echo "${n}" > ${tmpd}/file
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} update -f -c ${cfg} --verbose --profile=x --key f_file_x
+grep_or_fail "${n}" "${dt}/file_x"
+grep_or_fail "${yori}" "${dt}/file_y"
+
+# reset
+echo "${xori}" > ${dt}/file_x
+echo "${yori}" > ${dt}/file_y
+
+# test with key
+echo "test update y from key"
+n="patched content for Y"
+echo "${n}" > ${tmpd}/file
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} update -f -c ${cfg} --verbose --profile=y --key f_file_y
+grep_or_fail "${n}" "${dt}/file_y"
+grep_or_fail "${xori}" "${dt}/file_x"
+
+# reset
+echo "${xori}" > ${dt}/file_x
+echo "${yori}" > ${dt}/file_y
+
+# test with path
+echo "test update x from path"
+n="patched content for X"
+echo "${n}" > ${tmpd}/file
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} update -f -c ${cfg} --verbose --profile=x "${tmpd}/file"
+grep_or_fail "${n}" "${dt}/file_x"
+grep_or_fail "${yori}" "${dt}/file_y"
+
+# reset
+echo "${xori}" > ${dt}/file_x
+echo "${yori}" > ${dt}/file_y
+
+# test with path
+echo "test update y from path"
+n="patched content for Y"
+echo "${n}" > ${tmpd}/file
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} update -f -c ${cfg} --verbose --profile=y "${tmpd}/file"
+grep_or_fail "${n}" "${dt}/file_y"
+grep_or_fail "${xori}" "${dt}/file_x"
+
+## make sure it fails when wrong dotfile
+# reset
+echo "${xori}" > ${dt}/file_x
+echo "${yori}" > ${dt}/file_y
+
+# test with key
+echo "test wrong key for x"
+n="patched content for X"
+echo "${n}" > ${tmpd}/file
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} update -f -c ${cfg} --verbose --profile=x --key f_file_y
+set -e
+grep_or_fail "${xori}" "${dt}/file_x"
+grep_or_fail "${yori}" "${dt}/file_y"
+
+# reset
+echo "${xori}" > ${dt}/file_x
+echo "${yori}" > ${dt}/file_y
+
+# test with key
+echo "test wrong key for y"
+n="patched content for Y"
+echo "${n}" > ${tmpd}/file
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} update -f -c ${cfg} --verbose --profile=y --key f_file_x
+set -e
+grep_or_fail "${xori}" "${dt}/file_x"
+grep_or_fail "${yori}" "${dt}/file_y"
+
+# CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0