diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 34b0855..df6c8d9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ An opinionated Go library for applications that use YAML configuration files.
 ConfigKit is in early implementation. Its current loader accepts one strict YAML
 source (or explicit defaults-only input), optionally traverses explicit path and glob
 imports, strictly composes their disjoint definitions, applies typed defaults, and
-can check an application schema version. It returns detached metadata and safe
-diagnostics.
+can overlay one selected fixed profile and check an application schema version. It
+returns detached metadata and safe diagnostics.
 Applications may perform audited defaulting and normalization through a resolver,
 then report domain errors and warnings through read-only semantic validation.
-Profiles, overrides, secrets, and rendering are still under development.
+Overrides, secrets, and rendering are still under development.
 
 ```go
 type Config struct {
diff --git a/compose.go b/compose.go
index b6feb79..c2fcb97 100644
--- a/compose.go
+++ b/compose.go
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ import "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ConfigKit/internal/document"
 // precedence layers. Claims remain ordered by source and declaration traversal;
 // origins retain every source that contributes to a composite mapping.
 type composedDocument struct {
-	root    *document.Node
-	claims  []compositionClaim
-	origins map[string]Origin
+	root       *document.Node
+	claims     []compositionClaim
+	origins    map[string]Origin
+	overlays   []overlayRecord
+	inputBytes int64
+	inputNodes int
 }
 
 type compositionClaim struct {
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 3ebd288..b0e060e 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -20,28 +20,29 @@ The zero `Source` is invalid. Constructor argument failures are retained inside
 opaque source and become safe structured diagnostics when the source is consumed.
 File sources can observe file changes between consumptions; byte sources cannot.
 
-Each source is limited to 8 MiB. An imported load is limited to 64 MiB across all
-accepted sources, 1,024 accepted sources, 64 active import edges, and 1,000,000
-input nodes in aggregate. Glob expansion separately permits 1,000,000 visited
-directory entries, including nonmatches. Reads request at most the remaining
-allowance plus one byte so excess data is rejected rather than silently truncated.
-Data returned together with a read error is not accepted as partial input.
+Each source is limited to 8 MiB. A load using imports or an active profile is limited
+to 64 MiB across all accepted sources, 1,024 accepted sources, 64 active import
+edges, and 1,000,000 input nodes in aggregate. Glob expansion separately permits
+1,000,000 visited directory entries, including nonmatches. Reads request at most the
+remaining allowance plus one byte so excess data is rejected rather than silently
+truncated. Data returned together with a read error is not accepted as partial input.
 
 ## Single-source loading
 
 `Load[T](source, options...)` accepts zero or one `Options[T]`. The configuration
 root `T` must satisfy the application schema contract below. With no options it
 starts from the Go zero value. A `Definition[T].Defaults` factory, when supplied,
-runs exactly once after successful source parsing, schema construction, and optional
-schema-version checking. Its result is detached before input is applied.
+runs exactly once after successful source parsing, schema construction, optional
+schema-version checking, and selected-profile loading. Its result is detached before
+input is applied.
 
 The current lifecycle is:
 
 ```text
 validate options → parse the selected source → traverse/compose enabled imports
-  → build schema → check the optional application version → create and clone defaults
-  → strictly decode → recorded application resolution → semantic validation
-  → snapshot configuration and metadata
+  → build schema → check the optional application version → apply a selected profile
+  → create and clone defaults → strictly decode → recorded application resolution
+  → semantic validation → snapshot configuration and metadata
 ```
 
 `File`, `Bytes`, and `Reader` each contribute the first base source with deterministic
@@ -51,13 +52,12 @@ contributes no source, and continues through defaults, decode, and projection. A
 missing file remains an error; it is never interpreted as no input.
 
 The current `Options` boundary accepts a defaults factory, `VersionRule`, resolver,
-semantic validator, explicit path and glob imports, and filesystem context. Active
-profiles, overrides, and dynamic secret classification return `options.unavailable`
-because their lifecycle stages are not implemented. The reserved profile spelling
-`default` selects no active profile. `NoSource`
-additionally rejects imports, active profiles, and filesystem context as invalid
-combinations. Input containing a reserved `_configkit` mapping key is rejected while
-imports are disabled.
+semantic validator, explicit path and glob imports, one selected profile, and
+filesystem context. Overrides and dynamic secret classification return
+`options.unavailable` because their lifecycle stages are not implemented. `NoSource`
+rejects imports, active profiles, and filesystem context as invalid combinations.
+Input containing a reserved `_configkit` mapping key is rejected while imports are
+disabled.
 
 Every source, options, schema, version, defaults, decode, resolution, or validation
 failure returns a nil result and a `*LoadError`. Successful results contain caller-owned `Config`, detached
@@ -79,13 +79,16 @@ error without reporting one, ConfigKit emits a generic `version.hook_failed`
 diagnostic and suppresses the returned error text. Warnings alone are retained on a
 successful result. Callback panics remain programming failures.
 
-### Base/default metadata
+### Layered input/default metadata
 
 `Result.Metadata` describes every final canonical path. Exact surviving input paths
-are explicit and have a base origin; omitted paths have a default origin. An explicit
-parent mapping does not make omitted children explicit. Null state and available
-source coordinates are retained. `History` records the Go-zero or application
-default baseline followed by exact base definitions, including equal-valued input.
+are explicit and have a base or profile origin; omitted paths have a default origin.
+An explicit parent mapping does not make omitted children explicit. Null state and
+available source coordinates are retained. `History` records the Go-zero or application
+default baseline followed by exact base or profile definitions, including
+equal-valued input. Profile replacement removes displaced descendants from effective
+metadata while retaining their base definition and the parent replacement operation
+in history.
 All metadata queries and returned nested records are detached.
 
 ### Recorded application resolution
@@ -181,6 +184,43 @@ traversal order. Traversal order never authorizes replacement. Composition clone
 the resulting tree and its ordered claim records rather than mutating or aliasing an
 input document.
 
+## Selected profiles
+
+`Options.Profile` selects at most one overlay by name. Names must match
+`[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+`; they are not paths. The empty name and exact lowercase name
+`default` select no profile, and `profiles/default.yml` is never loaded implicitly.
+Every other name resolves only to `<configuration-root>/profiles/<name>.yml`, with
+no extension fallback, case normalization, inheritance, or profile stack. A selected
+missing profile is an error.
+
+The profile is a separately policy-validated YAML mapping. It is loaded after the
+base import graph is composed and its schema version is checked, but before defaults
+and typed decoding. Profile bytes, nodes, and source records count toward the same
+aggregate limits as base inputs. Its canonical path must remain within the configured
+root and must not duplicate a file already present in the base graph.
+
+Overlay is intentionally distinct from strict composition:
+
+| Existing lower node | Incoming profile node | Result |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| Absent | Value | Retain the profile value |
+| Value | Absent | Retain the lower value |
+| Mapping | Mapping | Recurse by mapping key |
+| Any other pair of present nodes | Any other pair of present nodes | Replace the entire lower node |
+
+Scalars, sequences, and null are atomic. Thus a profile sequence replaces rather
+than extends a base sequence, `[]` clears it, null is an explicit replacement, and
+cross-kind replacement is allowed when the final application schema accepts it.
+Replacing a subtree removes all displaced descendants from effective presence and
+origin data; history retains the displaced definitions and identifies the parent
+replacement. Surviving profile paths have profile origins, while recursively shared
+mapping containers retain their contributing locations.
+
+A profile may not contain `_configkit` anywhere, contribute the configured schema
+version, or replace an ancestor of that version with a scalar or null. These rules
+apply even if the supplied version text would be unchanged. Profiles cannot mask a
+base parse, composition, or version failure because those checks run first.
+
 ## Explicit imports
 
 Imports are opt-in. With `Options.Imports` enabled, a document may reserve its root
diff --git a/docs/development.md b/docs/development.md
index c76b2ab..75f8c44 100644
--- a/docs/development.md
+++ b/docs/development.md
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 This is the contributor entry point for ConfigKit. Read the task-specific owners
 below before making changes. The repository is in early implementation: its public
 loader currently covers strict selected sources, explicit path/glob import graphs,
-composition, typed defaults, schema-version checks, recorded application resolution,
+composition, selected profile overlays, typed defaults, schema-version checks,
+recorded application resolution,
 semantic validation, and metadata. The
 [component overview](internal/overview.md) owns the implementation inventory.
 
diff --git a/docs/internal/extraction.md b/docs/internal/extraction.md
index 6f8ad90..d9395ef 100644
--- a/docs/internal/extraction.md
+++ b/docs/internal/extraction.md
@@ -155,6 +155,17 @@ Assigned to selected-profile overlay:
   declared defaults, inheritance, arbitrary profile paths, or validating every
   unselected overlay.
 
+Implementation record (2026-09-06): `overlayDocuments`, `mergeOverlayMappings`,
+`loadProfileDocument`, and `profileDirectiveDiagnostics` adapt the assigned merge,
+selection, loading, and ownership mechanics. `TestOverlayDocumentsRecursesMappingsAndReplacesAtomicSubtrees`,
+`TestLoadAppliesSelectedProfileAfterBaseAndBeforeDefaults`, profile selection/error,
+directive/version, containment, and budget cases adapt the assigned tests. ConfigKit
+uses exactly one fixed selected `.yml` source, permits null and cross-kind replacement,
+retains displaced descendant history, rejects any profile directive or version-path
+contribution, and counts the profile in aggregate budgets. Narratio's declared
+default, multi-overlay validation, inheritance-like application conventions, and
+null/kind restrictions were not retained.
+
 ### Effective inspection and provenance
 
 Assigned to layered metadata, redaction, rendering, and explanation:
diff --git a/docs/internal/overview.md b/docs/internal/overview.md
index da55aec..3764b5f 100644
--- a/docs/internal/overview.md
+++ b/docs/internal/overview.md
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ module and package documentation boundary. Its implemented public primitives are
 - a private strict composer in `compose.go` that joins only disjoint document-tree
   definitions, retains ordered claims and composite mapping origins, reports every
   conflicting location, and never aliases an input tree;
+- fixed selected-profile loading in `profile.go` and recursive, non-aliasing overlay
+  with displacement records in `overlay.go`;
 - a per-operation private reflection descriptor graph in `schema.go` for supported
   types, YAML field binding, inlining, secret tags, recursion, and semantic paths;
 - descriptor-driven canonical projection, detached typed cloning, cycle/limit
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ module and package documentation boundary. Its implemented public primitives are
   `validation.go`, completing the public callback lifecycle after composed input.
 
 The [configuration contract](../config.md) owns implemented input, schema, decoding,
-loading lifecycle, path imports, composition, version checking, recorded resolution,
+loading lifecycle, path imports, composition, profile overlay, version checking, recorded resolution,
 semantic validation, metadata, and ownership behavior.
 
 The source-extraction inventory records the application foundations assigned to
diff --git a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
index 917c2c1..64a9d03 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 ## Status and ownership
 
-Status: implementation in progress; Stages 1–9 are complete and later stages are
+Status: implementation in progress; Stages 1–13 are complete and later stages are
 pending.
 
 Audience: a `gpt-5.6-terra` coding agent implementing one stage per prompt, in
@@ -982,7 +982,31 @@ Acceptance:
 
 ## Stage 13 — Implement profile overlays
 
-Status: pending.
+Status: complete.
+
+Completion evidence (2026-09-06):
+
+- Added a private non-aliasing recursive overlay that merges mappings by key and
+  atomically replaces scalars, sequences, empty sequences, nulls, and cross-kind
+  subtrees. Replacement deletes stale descendant origins and records every displaced
+  definition plus the parent operation for later history.
+- Added exact selected-profile loading from `profiles/<name>.yml`, with constrained
+  names, inactive empty/`default` selection, canonical root containment, base-graph
+  duplicate rejection, deterministic profile source ownership, and shared aggregate
+  source/byte/node limits. No path selection, extension fallback, inheritance, or
+  implicit default file is supported.
+- Applied profiles only after base import composition and version checking and before
+  defaults and strict decoding. Profiles reject `_configkit` at any depth, direct
+  version contributions, and scalar/null replacements of version ancestors; base
+  parse and version failures therefore cannot be masked.
+- Tests cover recursive siblings, scalar/full/empty-sequence/null/cross-kind
+  replacement, lower defaults, profile source and origin attribution, removed-child
+  and stale-index history, selection errors, fixed extension, directives, version
+  placement, base aliases, parse ordering, filesystem context, symlink escape, input
+  budgets, and non-aliasing. The
+  [current profile contract](../config.md#selected-profiles) owns the behavior.
+  Verified `go test ./...`, `go test -race ./...`, `go vet ./...`, `go build ./...`,
+  and `git diff --check` with Go 1.26.7 on linux/amd64.
 
 Read: feature [profiles](initial.md#profiles), composition/overlay table.
 
diff --git a/docs/roadmap/initial.md b/docs/roadmap/initial.md
index 17d7397..d85dbb6 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap/initial.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap/initial.md
@@ -450,28 +450,9 @@ origin is a resolution operation, with input origins retained separately.
 
 ## Composition and overlay
 
-Strict base composition is implemented and now owned by the
-[current configuration contract](../config.md#strict-document-composition).
-Intentional profile overlay remains target behavior. Its exhaustive operation table
-is below; “value” includes scalar, sequence, mapping, and null, while absent means no
-node rather than null.
-
-| Existing/lower node | Incoming/higher node | Overlay |
-| --- | --- | --- |
-| Absent | Absent | Absent |
-| Absent | Value | Incoming |
-| Value | Absent | Existing |
-| Mapping | Mapping | Recurse by key |
-| Any other pair of present nodes | Any other pair of present nodes | Replace entire existing node |
-
-A mapping can replace a lower scalar, sequence, or null during overlay, subject to
-the final schema. Sequences are atomic and the higher sequence replaces the entire
-lower sequence in an overlay. `[]` clears a sequence. There is no append, union,
-index merge, or mapping-clear operator.
-
-Replacing a parent must not leave effective metadata for removed children.
-Sequence histories describe whole-sequence replacement; index origins refer to
-the surviving sequence, not an attempted correspondence with previous indices.
+Strict base composition and selected-profile overlay are implemented and owned by
+the [current composition contract](../config.md#strict-document-composition) and
+[profile contract](../config.md#selected-profiles).
 
 ## Explicit imports and source identity
 
@@ -481,18 +462,9 @@ filesystem context, and budgets are implemented and now owned by the
 
 ## Profiles
 
-Load only the composed base unless the application selects a profile. The API
-accepts a name matching `[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+`, not an arbitrary path. The empty name
-and reserved lowercase name `default` both mean no overlay; a literal
-`profiles/default.yml` is never loaded. Other names resolve exactly to
-`<configuration-root>/profiles/<name>.yml`, without extension fallback or case
-normalization. A selected missing profile is an error.
-
-A profile is one policy-validated YAML mapping applied using the overlay table.
-It must not contain `_configkit`, introduce imports, or alter the application's
-declared schema-version path. Reject these directives even if their values
-would be unchanged. There is no profile inheritance or multiple-profile stack.
-Applications own flags and commands that select this behavior.
+Selected profiles are implemented and owned by the
+[current profile contract](../config.md#selected-profiles). Applications continue
+to own the flags and commands that choose a profile name.
 
 ## Static defaults and null
 
@@ -597,8 +569,8 @@ Automatic migration is deferred.
 
 ## Consumer API design
 
-The core declarations, callback lifecycle, strict composition, and explicit path
-imports are implemented; their current contract is owned by
+The core declarations, callback lifecycle, strict composition, explicit imports,
+and selected profiles are implemented; their current contract is owned by
 [configuration input](../config.md) and Go reference comments. Remaining declarations
 and behavior in this section are target design, not implemented Go reference
 documentation or a frozen naming commitment. Declarations omit method bodies and
@@ -614,7 +586,7 @@ and verification against consumer models.
 `Load`, `Definition`, `Options`, `FilesystemContext`, `Override`, `VersionRule`,
 `Version`, `Validation`, and `Result` are declared. The current loader supports the
 callback and path-import subset described by the [current contract](../config.md);
-later profile, override, secret, and rendering behavior below remains target work and
+later override, secret, and rendering behavior below remains target work and
 unavailable options fail explicitly rather than being ignored.
 
 ```go
@@ -660,8 +632,8 @@ ConfigKit does not synchronize application-owned captured state.
 `Source`, its constructors, and import filesystem context are implemented;
 [`source.go`](../../source.go) and the [configuration input contract](../config.md#sources)
 own their current behavior. Applications must use non-secret source labels because
-labels appear in diagnostics and source reports. Profile-related filesystem behavior
-remains target work. Filesystem options do not change application field path meanings.
+labels appear in diagnostics and source reports. Filesystem options do not change
+application field path meanings.
 
 `NoSource()` explicitly selects defaults-only loading. It contributes no document
 or file source entry and marks no fields explicit by itself; CLI overrides still
diff --git a/imports.go b/imports.go
index 14d801d..a128f47 100644
--- a/imports.go
+++ b/imports.go
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@ func loadImportedDocuments(source Source, context *FilesystemContext, main parse
 		return nil, cloneSourceInfos(state.sources), []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(CodeImportRead, "configuration root could not be closed", nil)}
 	}
 	composed, diagnostics := composeDocuments(state.documents...)
+	if composed != nil {
+		composed.inputBytes = state.usedBytes
+		composed.inputNodes = state.usedNodes
+	}
 	return composed, cloneSourceInfos(state.sources), diagnostics
 }
 
diff --git a/load.go b/load.go
index 0b5144e..0b394ac 100644
--- a/load.go
+++ b/load.go
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ type Definition[T any] struct {
 }
 
 // Options contains the application definition and per-load input selections.
-// Imports enables explicit path and glob imports; later precedence layers remain
-// unavailable until their owning features are implemented.
+// Imports enables explicit path and glob imports; Profile selects one fixed profile
+// overlay. Explicit overrides remain unavailable until implemented.
 type Options[T any] struct {
 	Definition Definition[T]
 	Imports    bool
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ func (r *Result[T]) Diagnostics() []Diagnostic {
 	return cloneDiagnostics(r.diagnostics)
 }
 
-// Load parses and strictly decodes zero or one selected source plus explicitly
-// enabled imports. It accepts at most one Options value and returns no result when
-// any error is reported.
+// Load parses and strictly decodes zero or one selected source, explicitly enabled
+// imports, and one selected profile. It accepts at most one Options value and
+// returns no result when any error is reported.
 func Load[T any](source Source, supplied ...Options[T]) (*Result[T], error) {
 	accumulator := diagnosticAccumulator{}
 	options, diagnostics := selectOptions(source, supplied)
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func Load[T any](source Source, supplied ...Options[T]) (*Result[T], error) {
 		if parsed.source != nil {
 			accumulator.sources = append(accumulator.sources, *parsed.source)
 		}
-		if options.Filesystem != nil {
+		if options.Filesystem != nil && !activeProfile(options.Profile) {
 			if diagnostic := validateFilesystemContext(source, options.Filesystem, parsed); diagnostic != nil {
 				accumulator.add(*diagnostic)
 				return nil, accumulator.loadError()
@@ -153,6 +153,26 @@ func Load[T any](source Source, supplied ...Options[T]) (*Result[T], error) {
 	if hasErrors(versionDiagnostics) {
 		return nil, accumulator.loadError()
 	}
+	if activeProfile(options.Profile) {
+		if composition == nil {
+			composition, diagnostics = composeDocuments(inputDocument)
+			if len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+				accumulator.add(diagnostics...)
+				return nil, accumulator.loadError()
+			}
+			composition.inputBytes = parsed.bytes
+			composition.inputNodes = countInputNodes(parsed.document)
+		}
+		composition, accumulator.sources, diagnostics = loadProfileDocument(
+			source, options.Filesystem, parsed, composition, accumulator.sources,
+			options.Profile, options.Definition.Version, defaultImportLimits(),
+		)
+		if len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+			accumulator.add(diagnostics...)
+			return nil, accumulator.loadError()
+		}
+		inputDocument = composition.root
+	}
 
 	defaults := reflect.Zero(reflect.TypeFor[T]())
 	if options.Definition.Defaults != nil {
@@ -171,6 +191,9 @@ func Load[T any](source Source, supplied ...Options[T]) (*Result[T], error) {
 
 	configuration := decoded.value.Interface().(T)
 	metadata := metadataFromDecoded(decoded)
+	if composition != nil {
+		applyOverlayMetadata(&metadata, composition.overlays)
+	}
 	final := decoded.final
 	var resolutionSnapshots []resolutionSnapshot
 	if options.Definition.Resolve != nil {
@@ -213,8 +236,8 @@ func selectOptions[T any](source Source, supplied []Options[T]) (Options[T], []D
 	if definition.Secret != nil {
 		diagnostics = append(diagnostics, optionDiagnostic(CodeOptionsUnavailable, "dynamic secret classification is not available in this release boundary"))
 	}
-	if options.Profile != "" && options.Profile != "default" {
-		diagnostics = append(diagnostics, optionDiagnostic(CodeOptionsUnavailable, "configuration profiles are not available in this release boundary"))
+	if !validProfileName(options.Profile) {
+		diagnostics = append(diagnostics, optionDiagnostic(CodeOptionsInvalid, "profile name must contain only ASCII letters, digits, underscore, or hyphen"))
 	}
 	if options.Filesystem != nil {
 		diagnostics = append(diagnostics, filesystemOptionDiagnostics(source, options.Filesystem)...)
@@ -228,6 +251,9 @@ func selectOptions[T any](source Source, supplied []Options[T]) (Options[T], []D
 	if source.kind == sourceNone && options.Profile != "" && options.Profile != "default" {
 		diagnostics = append(diagnostics, optionDiagnostic(CodeOptionsInvalid, "NoSource cannot select an active profile"))
 	}
+	if options.Filesystem == nil && (source.kind == sourceBytes || source.kind == sourceReader) && (options.Imports || activeProfile(options.Profile)) {
+		diagnostics = append(diagnostics, optionDiagnostic(CodeOptionsInvalid, "byte and reader imports or profiles require filesystem context"))
+	}
 	if definition.Version != nil {
 		if !definition.Version.Path.valid() {
 			diagnostics = append(diagnostics, optionDiagnostic(CodeOptionsInvalid, "schema-version path is invalid"))
diff --git a/load_metadata.go b/load_metadata.go
index 895f295..bf55580 100644
--- a/load_metadata.go
+++ b/load_metadata.go
@@ -34,6 +34,43 @@ func metadataFromDecoded(decoded decodedConfiguration) Metadata {
 	return metadata
 }
 
+func applyOverlayMetadata(metadata *Metadata, records []overlayRecord) {
+	for _, record := range records {
+		for _, displaced := range record.displaced {
+			pointer := displaced.path.String()
+			history := metadata.history[pointer]
+			profileIndex := -1
+			for index := len(history) - 1; index >= 0; index-- {
+				if history[index].Origin.Layer == LayerProfile {
+					profileIndex = index
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			baseChange := Change{Path: displaced.path.clone(), Origin: cloneOrigin(displaced.origin)}
+			if len(history) != 0 && history[len(history)-1].Origin.Layer == LayerDefault {
+				baseChange.Previous = []Origin{cloneOrigin(history[len(history)-1].Origin)}
+			}
+			if profileIndex >= 0 {
+				history = append(history[:profileIndex], append([]Change{baseChange}, history[profileIndex:]...)...)
+			} else {
+				history = append(history, baseChange)
+			}
+
+			change := cloneChange(record.change)
+			change.Previous = []Origin{cloneOrigin(displaced.origin)}
+			if profileIndex >= 0 {
+				// The effective-input projection created a leaf-shaped profile
+				// record. Replace it with the actual parent operation.
+				profileIndex++
+				history[profileIndex] = change
+			} else {
+				history = append(history, change)
+			}
+			metadata.history[pointer] = history
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func collectFieldInfo(node *document.Node, path Path, decoded decodedConfiguration, fields map[string]FieldInfo) {
 	pointer := path.String()
 	_, explicit := decoded.presence[pointer]
diff --git a/load_test.go b/load_test.go
index efb91ad..0ed9529 100644
--- a/load_test.go
+++ b/load_test.go
@@ -224,7 +224,6 @@ func TestLoadRejectsUnavailableOptionsAndDisabledDirectives(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "multiple options", source: validSource(), options: []Options[config]{{}, {}}, code: CodeOptionsInvalid},
 		{name: "secret classifier", source: validSource(), options: []Options[config]{{Definition: Definition[config]{Secret: func(Path) bool { return false }}}}, code: CodeOptionsUnavailable},
 		{name: "imports without filesystem context", source: validSource(), options: []Options[config]{{Imports: true}}, code: CodeOptionsInvalid},
-		{name: "profile", source: validSource(), options: []Options[config]{{Profile: "testing"}}, code: CodeOptionsUnavailable},
 		{name: "incomplete filesystem", source: validSource(), options: []Options[config]{{Filesystem: &FilesystemContext{}}}, code: CodeOptionsInvalid},
 		{name: "overrides", source: validSource(), options: []Options[config]{{Overrides: []Override{{Path: Keys("name"), Value: "other", Flag: "--name"}}}}, code: CodeOptionsUnavailable},
 		{name: "missing version checker", source: validSource(), options: []Options[config]{{Definition: Definition[config]{Version: &VersionRule{Path: Keys("version")}}}}, code: CodeOptionsInvalid},
diff --git a/overlay.go b/overlay.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21c20af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/overlay.go
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+package configkit
+
+import (
+	"slices"
+	"strings"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ConfigKit/internal/document"
+)
+
+type overlayRecord struct {
+	change    Change
+	displaced []displacedDefinition
+}
+
+type displacedDefinition struct {
+	path   Path
+	origin Origin
+}
+
+func overlayDocuments(base *composedDocument, overlay *document.Node) (*composedDocument, []Diagnostic) {
+	if base == nil || base.root == nil || base.root.Kind != document.Mapping || overlay == nil || overlay.Kind != document.Mapping {
+		return nil, []Diagnostic{{
+			Code: CodeProfileInvalid, Severity: SeverityError,
+			Message: "profile overlay requires mapping document roots",
+		}}
+	}
+	result := &composedDocument{
+		root:       document.Clone(base.root),
+		claims:     cloneCompositionClaims(base.claims),
+		origins:    cloneOriginIndex(base.origins),
+		overlays:   cloneOverlayRecords(base.overlays),
+		inputBytes: base.inputBytes,
+		inputNodes: base.inputNodes,
+	}
+	mergeOverlayOrigin(result.origins, Path{}, overlay.Location)
+	mergeOverlayMappings(result, result.root, overlay, Path{})
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+func mergeOverlayMappings(result *composedDocument, target, overlay *document.Node, current Path) {
+	for _, incoming := range overlay.Mapping {
+		path := current.Key(incoming.Key)
+		index := documentEntryIndex(target.Mapping, incoming.Key)
+		if index < 0 {
+			cloned := incoming
+			cloned.Value = document.Clone(incoming.Value)
+			target.Mapping = append(target.Mapping, cloned)
+			collectOverlayOrigins(result.origins, incoming.Value, path)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		existing := target.Mapping[index].Value
+		if existing.Kind == document.Mapping && incoming.Value.Kind == document.Mapping {
+			mergeOverlayOrigin(result.origins, path, incoming.Value.Location)
+			mergeOverlayMappings(result, existing, incoming.Value, path)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		displaced := displacedOrigins(existing, result.origins, path)
+		previous := cloneOrigin(result.origins[path.String()])
+		deleteOriginSubtree(result.origins, path)
+		target.Mapping[index] = incoming
+		target.Mapping[index].Value = document.Clone(incoming.Value)
+		collectOverlayOrigins(result.origins, incoming.Value, path)
+		result.overlays = append(result.overlays, overlayRecord{
+			change: Change{
+				Path: path.clone(), Origin: profileOrigin(incoming.Value.Location),
+				Previous: previousOrigins(previous),
+			},
+			displaced: displaced,
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func collectOverlayOrigins(origins map[string]Origin, node *document.Node, path Path) {
+	origins[path.String()] = profileOrigin(node.Location)
+	switch node.Kind {
+	case document.Mapping:
+		for _, entry := range node.Mapping {
+			collectOverlayOrigins(origins, entry.Value, path.Key(entry.Key))
+		}
+	case document.Sequence:
+		for index, child := range node.Sequence {
+			collectOverlayOrigins(origins, child, path.Index(index))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func mergeOverlayOrigin(origins map[string]Origin, path Path, location document.Location) {
+	pointer := path.String()
+	origin := cloneOrigin(origins[pointer])
+	origin.Layer = LayerProfile
+	origin.Locations = append(origin.Locations, publicLocation(location))
+	origins[pointer] = origin
+}
+
+func profileOrigin(location document.Location) Origin {
+	return Origin{Layer: LayerProfile, Locations: []Location{publicLocation(location)}}
+}
+
+func previousOrigins(origin Origin) []Origin {
+	if origin.Layer == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return []Origin{origin}
+}
+
+func displacedOrigins(node *document.Node, origins map[string]Origin, path Path) []displacedDefinition {
+	var displaced []displacedDefinition
+	collectDisplacedOrigins(&displaced, node, origins, path, Origin{})
+	slices.SortFunc(displaced, func(left, right displacedDefinition) int {
+		return strings.Compare(left.path.String(), right.path.String())
+	})
+	return displaced
+}
+
+func collectDisplacedOrigins(displaced *[]displacedDefinition, node *document.Node, origins map[string]Origin, path Path, inherited Origin) {
+	origin, ok := origins[path.String()]
+	if !ok {
+		origin = cloneOrigin(inherited)
+		origin.Locations = []Location{publicLocation(node.Location)}
+	}
+	*displaced = append(*displaced, displacedDefinition{path: path.clone(), origin: cloneOrigin(origin)})
+	switch node.Kind {
+	case document.Mapping:
+		for _, entry := range node.Mapping {
+			collectDisplacedOrigins(displaced, entry.Value, origins, path.Key(entry.Key), origin)
+		}
+	case document.Sequence:
+		for index, child := range node.Sequence {
+			collectDisplacedOrigins(displaced, child, origins, path.Index(index), origin)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func deleteOriginSubtree(origins map[string]Origin, path Path) {
+	prefix := path.String()
+	for pointer := range origins {
+		if pointer == prefix || strings.HasPrefix(pointer, prefix+"/") {
+			delete(origins, pointer)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func cloneOriginIndex(origins map[string]Origin) map[string]Origin {
+	cloned := make(map[string]Origin, len(origins))
+	for pointer, origin := range origins {
+		cloned[pointer] = cloneOrigin(origin)
+	}
+	return cloned
+}
+
+func cloneOverlayRecords(records []overlayRecord) []overlayRecord {
+	cloned := make([]overlayRecord, len(records))
+	for index, record := range records {
+		cloned[index].change = cloneChange(record.change)
+		cloned[index].displaced = make([]displacedDefinition, len(record.displaced))
+		for displacedIndex, displaced := range record.displaced {
+			cloned[index].displaced[displacedIndex] = displacedDefinition{
+				path: displaced.path.clone(), origin: cloneOrigin(displaced.origin),
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return cloned
+}
diff --git a/overlay_test.go b/overlay_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..991363b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/overlay_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package configkit
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ConfigKit/internal/document"
+)
+
+func TestOverlayDocumentsRecursesMappingsAndReplacesAtomicSubtrees(t *testing.T) {
+	baseRoot := parseCompositionDocument(t, "source-1", `shared:
+  kept: base
+  changed: old
+sequence: [one, two]
+nullable: value
+to_map: scalar
+to_scalar: {child: old}
+`)
+	base, diagnostics := composeDocuments(baseRoot)
+	if len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+		t.Fatal(diagnostics)
+	}
+	overlay := parseCompositionDocument(t, "source-2", `shared:
+  changed: new
+  added: profile
+sequence: []
+nullable: null
+to_map: {child: new}
+to_scalar: scalar
+`)
+	baseBefore := document.Clone(base.root)
+	overlayBefore := document.Clone(overlay)
+
+	result, diagnostics := overlayDocuments(base, overlay)
+	if len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("overlayDocuments() diagnostics = %#v", diagnostics)
+	}
+	checks := []struct {
+		path Path
+		kind document.Kind
+		text string
+	}{
+		{path: Keys("shared", "kept"), kind: document.String, text: "base"},
+		{path: Keys("shared", "changed"), kind: document.String, text: "new"},
+		{path: Keys("shared", "added"), kind: document.String, text: "profile"},
+		{path: Keys("sequence"), kind: document.Sequence},
+		{path: Keys("nullable"), kind: document.Null},
+		{path: Keys("to_map"), kind: document.Mapping},
+		{path: Keys("to_map", "child"), kind: document.String, text: "new"},
+		{path: Keys("to_scalar"), kind: document.String, text: "scalar"},
+	}
+	for _, check := range checks {
+		node, ok := documentAtPath(result.root, check.path)
+		if !ok || node.Kind != check.kind || node.Text != check.text {
+			t.Errorf("node %s = %#v, %v", check.path.String(), node, ok)
+		}
+	}
+	if _, exists := result.origins["/sequence/0"]; exists {
+		t.Fatal("replaced empty sequence retained a stale index origin")
+	}
+	if _, exists := result.origins["/to_scalar/child"]; exists {
+		t.Fatal("parent replacement retained a stale child origin")
+	}
+	shared := result.origins["/shared"]
+	if shared.Layer != LayerProfile || len(shared.Locations) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("shared mapping origin = %#v", shared)
+	}
+	if len(result.overlays) != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("overlay records = %#v, want five replacements", result.overlays)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(base.root, baseBefore) || !reflect.DeepEqual(overlay, overlayBefore) {
+		t.Fatal("overlay mutated an input document")
+	}
+	result.root.Mapping[0].Value.Mapping[0].Value.Text = "changed"
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(base.root, baseBefore) || !reflect.DeepEqual(overlay, overlayBefore) {
+		t.Fatal("overlay result aliases an input document")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/profile.go b/profile.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..567a962
--- /dev/null
+++ b/profile.go
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+package configkit
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ConfigKit/internal/document"
+	yamladapter "gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/ConfigKit/internal/yaml"
+)
+
+func activeProfile(name string) bool {
+	return name != "" && name != "default"
+}
+
+func validProfileName(name string) bool {
+	if !activeProfile(name) {
+		return true
+	}
+	for _, character := range name {
+		if (character >= 'a' && character <= 'z') ||
+			(character >= 'A' && character <= 'Z') ||
+			(character >= '0' && character <= '9') || character == '_' || character == '-' {
+			continue
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func loadProfileDocument(source Source, context *FilesystemContext, main parsedSource, base *composedDocument, sources []SourceInfo, name string, rule *VersionRule, limits importLimits) (*composedDocument, []SourceInfo, []Diagnostic) {
+	rootPath, _, _, diagnostic := importFilesystem(source, context, main)
+	if diagnostic != nil {
+		return nil, cloneSourceInfos(sources), []Diagnostic{*diagnostic}
+	}
+	profilePath := filepath.Join(rootPath, "profiles", name+".yml")
+	canonical, err := canonicalExistingPath(profilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		code := CodeProfileInvalid
+		message := "selected profile could not be resolved"
+		if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			code, message = CodeProfileMissing, "selected profile does not exist"
+		} else if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrPermission) {
+			code, message = CodeImportPermission, "selected profile cannot be accessed"
+		}
+		return nil, cloneSourceInfos(sources), []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(code, message, nil)}
+	}
+	if !containedPath(rootPath, canonical) {
+		return nil, cloneSourceInfos(sources), []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(CodeProfileOutsideRoot, "selected profile resolves outside the configuration root", nil)}
+	}
+	for _, existing := range sources {
+		if existing.Path != "" && existing.Path == canonical {
+			return nil, cloneSourceInfos(sources), []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(CodeProfileRepeated, "selected profile is already present in the base source graph", nil)}
+		}
+	}
+	if len(sources)+1 > limits.sources {
+		return nil, cloneSourceInfos(sources), []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(CodeProfileLimitExceeded, "selected profile exceeds the source-count limit", nil)}
+	}
+
+	root, err := os.OpenRoot(rootPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		value := globFilesystemDiagnostic(err, "configuration root could not be opened for the selected profile", Location{})
+		value.Primary = nil
+		return nil, cloneSourceInfos(sources), []Diagnostic{value}
+	}
+	relative, err := filepath.Rel(rootPath, canonical)
+	if err != nil || filepath.IsAbs(relative) || relative == ".." || strings.HasPrefix(relative, ".."+string(filepath.Separator)) {
+		_ = root.Close()
+		return nil, cloneSourceInfos(sources), []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(CodeProfileOutsideRoot, "selected profile could not be addressed inside the configuration root", nil)}
+	}
+
+	sourceID := "source-" + strconv.Itoa(len(sources)+1)
+	profileLocation := &Location{SourceID: sourceID}
+	profileSource := SourceInfo{ID: sourceID, Label: filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join("profiles", name+".yml")), Path: canonical, Layer: LayerProfile}
+	sources = append(cloneSourceInfos(sources), profileSource)
+	data, diagnostic := readProfileFile(root, relative, sourceID, limits.bytes-base.inputBytes)
+	if diagnostic != nil {
+		_ = root.Close()
+		return nil, sources, []Diagnostic{*diagnostic}
+	}
+	profileRoot, issues := yamladapter.Parse(bytes.NewReader(data), sourceID, yamladapter.Limits{Depth: maxDocumentDepth, Nodes: maxDocumentNodes})
+	if len(issues) != 0 {
+		_ = root.Close()
+		return nil, sources, importParseDiagnostics(sourceID, issues)
+	}
+	nodeCount := countInputNodes(profileRoot)
+	if base.inputNodes+nodeCount > limits.nodes {
+		_ = root.Close()
+		return nil, sources, []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(CodeProfileLimitExceeded, "selected profile exceeds the aggregate node limit", profileLocation)}
+	}
+	if diagnostics := profileDirectiveDiagnostics(profileRoot, Path{}); len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+		_ = root.Close()
+		return nil, sources, diagnostics
+	}
+	if versionNode := fragmentVersionClaim(profileRoot, rule); versionNode != nil {
+		location := publicLocation(versionNode.Location)
+		_ = root.Close()
+		return nil, sources, []Diagnostic{{
+			Code: CodeProfileVersion, Severity: SeverityError, Path: rule.Path.clone(),
+			Message: "profiles cannot contribute to or replace the schema-version path", Primary: &location,
+		}}
+	}
+	if err := root.Close(); err != nil {
+		return nil, sources, []Diagnostic{importDiagnostic(CodeImportRead, "configuration root could not be closed after reading the selected profile", nil)}
+	}
+
+	profiled, diagnostics := overlayDocuments(base, profileRoot)
+	if profiled != nil {
+		profiled.inputBytes = base.inputBytes + int64(len(data))
+		profiled.inputNodes = base.inputNodes + nodeCount
+	}
+	return profiled, sources, diagnostics
+}
+
+func readProfileFile(root *os.Root, relative, sourceID string, remaining int64) ([]byte, *Diagnostic) {
+	limit := min(int64(maxSourceBytes), remaining)
+	if limit < 0 {
+		limit = 0
+	}
+	file, err := root.Open(relative)
+	if err != nil {
+		value := classifySourceError(err, sourceID)
+		return nil, &value
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = file.Close() }()
+	info, err := file.Stat()
+	if err != nil {
+		value := classifySourceError(err, sourceID)
+		return nil, &value
+	}
+	if !info.Mode().IsRegular() {
+		value := sourceDiagnostic(CodeSourceNotRegular, sourceID, "source is not a regular file")
+		return nil, &value
+	}
+	if info.Size() > limit {
+		value := importDiagnostic(CodeProfileLimitExceeded, "selected profile exceeds a source or aggregate byte limit", &Location{SourceID: sourceID})
+		return nil, &value
+	}
+	data, err := io.ReadAll(io.LimitReader(file, limit+1))
+	if err != nil {
+		value := classifySourceError(err, sourceID)
+		return nil, &value
+	}
+	if int64(len(data)) > limit {
+		value := importDiagnostic(CodeProfileLimitExceeded, "selected profile exceeds a source or aggregate byte limit", &Location{SourceID: sourceID})
+		return nil, &value
+	}
+	return data, nil
+}
+
+func profileDirectiveDiagnostics(node *document.Node, current Path) []Diagnostic {
+	if node.Kind == document.Mapping {
+		for _, entry := range node.Mapping {
+			childPath := current.Key(entry.Key)
+			if entry.Key == "_configkit" {
+				location := publicLocation(entry.KeyLocation)
+				return []Diagnostic{{
+					Code: CodeProfileDirective, Severity: SeverityError, Path: childPath,
+					Message: "profiles cannot contain configuration directives", Primary: &location,
+				}}
+			}
+			if diagnostics := profileDirectiveDiagnostics(entry.Value, childPath); len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+				return diagnostics
+			}
+		}
+	} else if node.Kind == document.Sequence {
+		for index, child := range node.Sequence {
+			if diagnostics := profileDirectiveDiagnostics(child, current.Index(index)); len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+				return diagnostics
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/profile_test.go b/profile_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccde257
--- /dev/null
+++ b/profile_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,267 @@
+package configkit
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+type profileTestConfig struct {
+	Settings struct {
+		Kept    string `yaml:"kept"`
+		Changed string `yaml:"changed"`
+		Added   string `yaml:"added"`
+	} `yaml:"settings"`
+	Values   []string          `yaml:"values"`
+	Nullable *string           `yaml:"nullable"`
+	Value    any               `yaml:"value"`
+	Schema   map[string]string `yaml:"schema"`
+}
+
+func TestLoadAppliesSelectedProfileAfterBaseAndBeforeDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	directory := t.TempDir()
+	mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", `_configkit:
+  imports: [{path: base.yml}]
+settings:
+  kept: main
+  changed: base
+values: [base, stale]
+nullable: base
+value: {child: base}
+`)
+	basePath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "base.yml", "settings: {added: imported}\n")
+	profilePath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", `settings:
+  changed: profile
+values: [profile]
+nullable: null
+value: scalar
+`)
+
+	result, err := Load[profileTestConfig](File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{
+		Imports: true,
+		Profile: "testing",
+		Definition: Definition[profileTestConfig]{Defaults: func() profileTestConfig {
+			defaultValue := "default"
+			return profileTestConfig{
+				Values: []string{"default"}, Nullable: &defaultValue,
+				Settings: struct {
+					Kept    string `yaml:"kept"`
+					Changed string `yaml:"changed"`
+					Added   string `yaml:"added"`
+				}{Kept: "default", Changed: "default", Added: "default"},
+			}
+		}},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if result.Config.Settings.Kept != "main" || result.Config.Settings.Changed != "profile" || result.Config.Settings.Added != "imported" {
+		t.Fatalf("settings = %#v", result.Config.Settings)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(result.Config.Values, []string{"profile"}) || result.Config.Nullable != nil || result.Config.Value != "scalar" {
+		t.Fatalf("profile values = values %#v nullable %#v value %#v", result.Config.Values, result.Config.Nullable, result.Config.Value)
+	}
+	sources := result.Sources()
+	wantPaths := []string{canonicalTestPath(t, mainPath), canonicalTestPath(t, basePath), canonicalTestPath(t, profilePath)}
+	gotPaths := make([]string, len(sources))
+	for index, source := range sources {
+		gotPaths[index] = source.Path
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(gotPaths, wantPaths) || sources[2].Layer != LayerProfile {
+		t.Fatalf("sources = %#v", sources)
+	}
+	changed, _ := result.Metadata().Lookup(Keys("settings", "changed"))
+	kept, _ := result.Metadata().Lookup(Keys("settings", "kept"))
+	if changed.Origin.Layer != LayerProfile || changed.Origin.Locations[0].SourceID != "source-3" || kept.Origin.Layer != LayerBase {
+		t.Fatalf("origins = changed %#v kept %#v", changed, kept)
+	}
+	if _, ok := result.Metadata().Lookup(Keys("value", "child")); ok {
+		t.Fatal("removed child remains effective")
+	}
+	childHistory := result.Metadata().History(Keys("value", "child"))
+	if len(childHistory) < 2 || childHistory[len(childHistory)-1].Path.String() != "/value" || childHistory[len(childHistory)-1].Origin.Layer != LayerProfile {
+		t.Fatalf("removed child history = %#v", childHistory)
+	}
+	if _, ok := result.Metadata().Lookup(Keys("values").Index(1)); ok {
+		t.Fatal("removed sequence index remains effective")
+	}
+	indexHistory := result.Metadata().History(Keys("values").Index(1))
+	if len(indexHistory) < 2 || indexHistory[len(indexHistory)-1].Path.String() != "/values" {
+		t.Fatalf("removed sequence history = %#v", indexHistory)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoadProfileSelectionUsesOneFixedYAMLFile(t *testing.T) {
+	directory := t.TempDir()
+	mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", "settings: {kept: base}\n")
+	writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", "settings: {changed: selected}\n")
+	writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/default.yml", "settings: {changed: forbidden}\n")
+
+	for _, name := range []string{"", "default"} {
+		result, err := Load[profileTestConfig](File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: name})
+		if err != nil || result.Config.Settings.Changed != "" || len(result.Sources()) != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("inactive profile %q = %#v, %v", name, result, err)
+		}
+	}
+	selected, err := Load[profileTestConfig](File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "testing"})
+	if err != nil || selected.Config.Settings.Changed != "selected" || len(selected.Sources()) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("selected profile = %#v, %v", selected, err)
+	}
+
+	for _, name := range []string{"../testing", "testing.yml", "one,two", "with space", "é", "bad\x00name"} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: name}, CodeOptionsInvalid)
+		})
+	}
+	requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "missing"}, CodeProfileMissing)
+	writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/fallback.yaml", "settings: {changed: fallback}\n")
+	requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "fallback"}, CodeProfileMissing)
+}
+
+func TestLoadProfileRejectsDirectivesVersionsAndBaseAliases(t *testing.T) {
+	versionRule := &VersionRule{Path: Keys("schema", "version"), Check: func(version Version, _ *Validation) error {
+		if !version.Present || version.Text != "v1" {
+			return errors.New("unexpected version")
+		}
+		return nil
+	}}
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name    string
+		profile string
+		code    Code
+	}{
+		{name: "root directive", profile: "_configkit: {}\n", code: CodeProfileDirective},
+		{name: "nested directive", profile: "settings: {_configkit: {}}\n", code: CodeProfileDirective},
+		{name: "equal version", profile: "schema: {version: v1}\n", code: CodeProfileVersion},
+		{name: "ancestor scalar", profile: "schema: null\n", code: CodeProfileVersion},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			directory := t.TempDir()
+			mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", "schema: {version: v1}\n")
+			writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", test.profile)
+			requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "testing", Definition: Definition[profileTestConfig]{Version: versionRule}}, test.code)
+		})
+	}
+
+	t.Run("mapping sibling is allowed", func(t *testing.T) {
+		directory := t.TempDir()
+		mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", "schema: {version: v1}\n")
+		writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", "schema: {other: allowed}\n")
+		result, err := Load[profileTestConfig](File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "testing", Definition: Definition[profileTestConfig]{Version: versionRule}})
+		if err != nil || result.Config.Schema["other"] != "allowed" {
+			t.Fatalf("mapping sibling = %#v, %v", result, err)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("profile aliases imported base", func(t *testing.T) {
+		directory := t.TempDir()
+		mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", "_configkit: {imports: [{path: profiles/testing.yml}]}\n")
+		writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", "settings: {changed: value}\n")
+		requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Imports: true, Profile: "testing"}, CodeProfileRepeated)
+	})
+}
+
+func TestLoadProfileKeepsBaseFailuresAndFilesystemContainment(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("base parse precedes profile", func(t *testing.T) {
+		directory := t.TempDir()
+		mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", "settings: [\n")
+		writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", "settings: {changed: profile}\n")
+		requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "testing"}, CodeYAMLInvalid)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("profile parse", func(t *testing.T) {
+		directory := t.TempDir()
+		mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", "{}\n")
+		writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", "settings: [\n")
+		loadError := requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "testing"}, CodeYAMLInvalid)
+		if loadError.Diagnostics()[0].Primary.SourceID != "source-2" || len(loadError.Sources()) != 2 {
+			t.Fatalf("profile parse attribution = %#v / %#v", loadError.Diagnostics(), loadError.Sources())
+		}
+	})
+
+	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" || runtime.GOOS == "darwin" {
+		t.Run("symlink escape", func(t *testing.T) {
+			root := t.TempDir()
+			outside := t.TempDir()
+			outsideProfile := writeImportFile(t, outside, "testing.yml", "settings: {changed: outside}\n")
+			if err := os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(root, "profiles"), 0o755); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			if err := os.Symlink(outsideProfile, filepath.Join(root, "profiles/testing.yml")); err != nil {
+				t.Skipf("symlinks unavailable: %v", err)
+			}
+			mainPath := writeImportFile(t, root, "main.yml", "{}\n")
+			requireProfileLoadCode(t, File(mainPath), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "testing"}, CodeProfileOutsideRoot)
+		})
+	}
+
+	t.Run("byte source context", func(t *testing.T) {
+		directory := t.TempDir()
+		writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", "settings: {changed: selected}\n")
+		result, err := Load[profileTestConfig](Bytes("s3://bucket/main.yml", []byte("{}\n")), Options[profileTestConfig]{
+			Profile: "testing", Filesystem: &FilesystemContext{BaseDir: directory, Root: directory},
+		})
+		if err != nil || result.Config.Settings.Changed != "selected" {
+			t.Fatalf("byte profile = %#v, %v", result, err)
+		}
+		requireProfileLoadCode(t, Bytes("memory.yml", []byte("{}\n")), Options[profileTestConfig]{Profile: "testing"}, CodeOptionsInvalid)
+	})
+}
+
+func TestLoadProfileCountsAgainstAggregateBudgets(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name   string
+		limits func(parsedSource, int) importLimits
+	}{
+		{name: "source count", limits: func(_ parsedSource, _ int) importLimits {
+			return importLimits{sources: 1, bytes: maxTotalBytes, nodes: maxDocumentNodes}
+		}},
+		{name: "aggregate bytes", limits: func(main parsedSource, profileBytes int) importLimits {
+			return importLimits{sources: 2, bytes: main.bytes + int64(profileBytes) - 1, nodes: maxDocumentNodes}
+		}},
+		{name: "aggregate nodes", limits: func(main parsedSource, _ int) importLimits {
+			return importLimits{sources: 2, bytes: maxTotalBytes, nodes: countInputNodes(main.document) + 1}
+		}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			directory := t.TempDir()
+			mainPath := writeImportFile(t, directory, "main.yml", "{}\n")
+			profileData := "settings: {changed: selected}\n"
+			writeImportFile(t, directory, "profiles/testing.yml", profileData)
+			main, diagnostics := parseSource(File(mainPath), "source-1", defaultParseLimits())
+			if len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+				t.Fatal(diagnostics)
+			}
+			base, diagnostics := composeDocuments(main.document)
+			if len(diagnostics) != 0 {
+				t.Fatal(diagnostics)
+			}
+			base.inputBytes = main.bytes
+			base.inputNodes = countInputNodes(main.document)
+			_, _, diagnostics = loadProfileDocument(File(mainPath), nil, main, base, sourceInfos(main.source), "testing", nil, test.limits(main, len(profileData)))
+			if len(diagnostics) == 0 || diagnostics[0].Code != CodeProfileLimitExceeded {
+				t.Fatalf("diagnostics = %#v", diagnostics)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func requireProfileLoadCode(t *testing.T, source Source, options Options[profileTestConfig], code Code) *LoadError {
+	t.Helper()
+	result, err := Load[profileTestConfig](source, options)
+	if result != nil || err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("result, error = %#v, %v", result, err)
+	}
+	var loadError *LoadError
+	if !errors.As(err, &loadError) {
+		t.Fatalf("error type = %T", err)
+	}
+	diagnostics := loadError.Diagnostics()
+	if len(diagnostics) == 0 || diagnostics[0].Code != code {
+		t.Fatalf("diagnostics = %#v, want %s", diagnostics, code)
+	}
+	return loadError
+}
diff --git a/records.go b/records.go
index 9582d2e..7f33072 100644
--- a/records.go
+++ b/records.go
@@ -87,6 +87,14 @@ const (
 	CodeImportLimitExceeded Code = "import.limit_exceeded"
 	CodeImportVersion       Code = "import.version"
 
+	CodeProfileInvalid       Code = "profile.invalid"
+	CodeProfileMissing       Code = "profile.missing"
+	CodeProfileOutsideRoot   Code = "profile.outside_root"
+	CodeProfileRepeated      Code = "profile.repeated"
+	CodeProfileDirective     Code = "profile.directive"
+	CodeProfileVersion       Code = "profile.version"
+	CodeProfileLimitExceeded Code = "profile.limit_exceeded"
+
 	CodeComposeInvalid  Code = "compose.invalid"
 	CodeComposeConflict Code = "compose.conflict"