diff --git a/dotdrop/config.py b/dotdrop/config.py
index 9ab5588..ab0e204 100644
--- a/dotdrop/config.py
+++ b/dotdrop/config.py
@@ -5,16 +5,18 @@ Copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6
 yaml config file manager
 """
 
-import yaml
+import inspect
 import os
 import shlex
 
+import yaml
+
 # local import
 from dotdrop.dotfile import Dotfile
 from dotdrop.templategen import Templategen
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
 from dotdrop.action import Action, Transform
-from dotdrop.utils import strip_home, shell
+from dotdrop.utils import is_dict, is_not_magic, strip_home, shell
 from dotdrop.linktypes import LinkTypes
 
 
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ class Cfg:
     # import keys
     key_import_vars = 'import_variables'
     key_import_actions = 'import_actions'
-    key_import_profiles = 'import_profiles'
+    key_import_configs = 'import_configs'
 
     # actions keys
     key_actions = 'actions'
@@ -277,13 +279,9 @@ class Cfg:
 
         # parse external profiles
         try:
-            ext_configs = self.lnk_settings[self.key_import_profiles]
+            ext_configs = self.lnk_settings[self.key_import_configs] or ()
             for config in ext_configs:
-                ext_config = Cfg(config)
-                self.dotfiles.update(ext_config.dotfiles)
-                self.lnk_profiles.update(ext_config.lnk_profiles)
-                self.prodots.update(ext_config.prodots)
-                # need variables, actions and so on
+                self._merge_cfg(config)
         except KeyError:
             pass
 
@@ -457,6 +455,23 @@ class Cfg:
                 self.log.dbg('dotfiles for \"{}\": {}'.format(k, df))
         return True
 
+    def _merge_cfg(self, config_path):
+        try:
+            ext_config = Cfg(self._abs_path(config_path))
+        except ValueError:
+            raise ValueError(
+                'external config file not found: {}'.format(config_path))
+
+        ext_members = (
+            (name, member)
+            for name, member in inspect.getmembers(ext_config, is_dict)
+            if name != 'content' and is_not_magic(name)
+        )
+        for name, ext_member in ext_members:
+            self_member = getattr(self, name, {})
+            ext_member.update(self_member)
+            setattr(self, name, ext_member)
+
     def _load_ext_variables(self, paths, profile=None):
         """load external variables"""
         variables = {}
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index 70b1a61..81404e8 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -130,3 +130,11 @@ def must_ignore(paths, ignores, debug=False):
                     LOG.dbg('ignore \"{}\" match: {}'.format(i, p))
                 return True
     return False
+
+
+def is_dict(obj):
+    return isinstance(obj, dict)
+
+
+def is_not_magic(name):
+    return (name[0:2], name[-2:]) != ('__', '__')
diff --git a/tests/helpers.py b/tests/helpers.py
index 3309729..c06854b 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.py
+++ b/tests/helpers.py
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def yaml_dashed_list(items, indent=0):
 
 def create_fake_config(directory, configname='config.yaml',
                        dotpath='dotfiles', backup=True, create=True,
-                       import_profiles=()):
+                       import_configs=()):
     """Create a fake config file"""
     path = os.path.join(directory, configname)
     workdir = os.path.join(directory, 'workdir')
@@ -167,9 +167,9 @@ def create_fake_config(directory, configname='config.yaml',
         f.write('  create: {}\n'.format(str(create)))
         f.write('  dotpath: {}\n'.format(dotpath))
         f.write('  workdir: {}\n'.format(workdir))
-        if import_profiles:
-            f.write('  import_profiles:\n')
-            f.write(yaml_dashed_list(import_profiles, 4))
+        if import_configs:
+            f.write('  import_configs:\n')
+            f.write(yaml_dashed_list(import_configs, 4))
         f.write('dotfiles:\n')
         f.write('profiles:\n')
         f.write('actions:\n')
diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
index 86871fb..b331ab0 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ profiles:
                                        dotpath=self.CONFIG_DOTPATH,
                                        backup=self.CONFIG_BACKUP,
                                        create=self.CONFIG_CREATE,
-                                       import_profiles=(imported,))
+                                       import_configs=(imported,))
 
         # keys
         keys = {