diff --git a/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py b/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
index 2db7168..38a6da3 100644
--- a/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
+++ b/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
@@ -358,11 +358,15 @@ class CfgYaml:
             return False
         profile = self.profiles[profile_key]
 
-        # ensure profile dotfiles list is not None
+        # ensure profile dotfiles list is not None in local object
         if self.key_profile_dotfiles not in profile or \
                 profile[self.key_profile_dotfiles] is None:
             profile[self.key_profile_dotfiles] = []
-            self._yaml_dict[self.key_profiles][profile_key] = []
+        # ensure profile dotfiles list is not None in yaml dict
+        dict_pro = self._yaml_dict[self.key_profiles][profile_key]
+        if self.key_profile_dotfiles not in dict_pro or \
+                dict_pro[self.key_profile_dotfiles] is None:
+            dict_pro[self.key_profile_dotfiles] = []
 
         # add to the profile
         pdfs = profile[self.key_profile_dotfiles]
@@ -743,22 +747,26 @@ class CfgYaml:
         if not profiles:
             return profiles
         new = {}
-        for k, val in profiles.items():
-            if k == self.key_all:
+        # loop through each profile
+        for pro, entries in profiles.items():
+            if pro == self.key_all:
                 msg = f'\"{self.key_all}\" is a special profile name, '
                 msg += 'consider renaming to avoid any issue.'
                 self._log.warn(msg)
-            if not k:
+            if not pro:
                 msg = 'empty profile name'
                 self._log.warn(msg)
                 continue
-            if not val:
-                # no dotfiles
+            if not entries:
+                # no entries in profile dict
                 continue
-            # add dotfiles entry if not present
-            if self.key_profile_dotfiles not in val:
-                val[self.key_profile_dotfiles] = []
-            new[k] = val
+            # add "dotfiles:"" entry if not present
+            if self.key_profile_dotfiles not in entries:
+                msg = f'\"{self.key_profile_dotfiles}\" entry is mandatory'
+                msg += f' and was not present in profile \"{pro}\".'
+                self._log.warn(msg)
+                entries[self.key_profile_dotfiles] = []
+            new[pro] = entries
         return new
 
     def _norm_dotfile_chmod(self, entry):
diff --git a/tests-ng/import-include.sh b/tests-ng/import-include.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9ce8af5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/import-include.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2023, deadc0de6
+#
+# test import in profile which includes another
+#
+
+# 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"
+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
+################################################################
+
+# the dotfile source
+tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
+mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
+# the dotfile destination
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests' || mktemp -d`
+
+clear_on_exit "${tmps}"
+clear_on_exit "${tmpd}"
+
+# create the dotfile to import
+echo "file" > ${tmpd}/file
+
+# create the dotfiles already imported
+echo "already in" > ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  f_abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/abc
+    src: abc
+profiles:
+  p0:
+    include:
+    - p1
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_abc
+_EOF
+cat ${cfg}
+
+cnt=`cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} files -c ${cfg} -p p0 | grep '^f_' | wc -l`
+[ "${cnt}" != "1" ] && echo "this is bad" && exit 1
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -f -c ${cfg} -p p0 --verbose ${tmpd}/file
+
+[ ! -e ${tmps}/dotfiles/${tmpd}/file ] && echo "file not imported" && exit 1
+
+# make sure file is in
+cnt=`cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} files -c ${cfg} -p p0 | grep '^f_file' | wc -l`
+[ "${cnt}" != "1" ] && echo "dotfiles not in config" && exit 1
+
+# count
+cnt=`cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} files -c ${cfg} -p p0 -b | grep '^f_' | wc -l`
+[ "${cnt}" != "2" ] && echo "not enough dotfile" exit 1
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0
diff --git a/tests-ng/include.sh b/tests-ng/include.sh
index a7defd1..069b989 100755
--- a/tests-ng/include.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/include.sh
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ dotfiles:
     src: abc
 profiles:
   p0:
+    dotfiles:
     include:
     - p3
   p1: