diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f4094d9..4afd890 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 backup/
 skel/.profile-local
 skel/.profile-private
+skel/.profile-post-local
+skel/.profile-post-private
diff --git a/skel/.profile b/skel/.profile
index 81777b2..37e9e17 100644
--- a/skel/.profile
+++ b/skel/.profile
@@ -101,3 +101,7 @@ export PERL_MM_OPT="INSTALL_BASE=$HOME/perl5"
 
 # aliases
 alias less='less -i -r'
+
+# profile variables that need to be defined late
+[ -f "$HOME/.profile-post-local" ] && source "$HOME/.profile-post-local"
+[ -f "$HOME/.profile-post-private" ] && source "$HOME/.profile-post-private"