diff --git a/skel/.bashrc b/skel/.bashrc
index 8534e1c..bf1c4b4 100644
--- a/skel/.bashrc
+++ b/skel/.bashrc
@@ -120,3 +120,7 @@ fi
 if [ "$GPG_TTY" = "" ]; then
   export GPG_TTY=$(tty)
 fi
+
+# override local settings with local shell files
+[ -f "$HOME/.rc-local" ] && source "$HOME/.rc-local"
+[ -f "$HOME/.bashrc-local" ] && source "$HOME/.bashrc-local"
diff --git a/skel/.zshrc b/skel/.zshrc
index dc7c0ec..5147611 100644
--- a/skel/.zshrc
+++ b/skel/.zshrc
@@ -76,3 +76,9 @@ setopt HIST_LEX_WORDS            # parse quotes when parsing history
 if [ "$GPG_TTY" = "" ]; then
 	export GPG_TTY=$(tty)
 fi
+
+# override local settings with local shell files
+emulate bash
+[ -f "$HOME/.rc-local" ] && source "$HOME/.rc-local"
+emulate zsh
+[ -f "$HOME/.zshrc-local" ] && source "$HOME/.zshrc-local"