diff --git a/buildozer/__init__.py b/buildozer/__init__.py
index 5c98f4679..8bda3ed95 100644
--- a/buildozer/__init__.py
+++ b/buildozer/__init__.py
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ def __init__(self, filename='buildozer.spec', target=None):
         self.specfilename = filename
         self.state = None
         self.build_id = None
-        self.config_profile = ''
         self.config = SpecParser()
 
         self.logger = Logger()
@@ -900,6 +899,8 @@ def run_default(self):
         self.run_command(cmd)
 
     def run_command(self, args):
+        profile = None
+
         while args:
             if not args[0].startswith('-'):
                 break
@@ -913,13 +914,13 @@ def run_command(self, args):
                 exit(0)
 
             elif arg in ('-p', '--profile'):
-                self.config_profile = args.pop(0)
+                profile = args.pop(0)
 
             elif arg == '--version':
                 print('Buildozer {0}'.format(__version__))
                 exit(0)
 
-        self._merge_config_profile()
+        self.config.apply_profile(profile)
 
         self.check_root()
 
@@ -1034,35 +1035,3 @@ def cmd_serve(self, *args):
         print("Serving via HTTP at port {}".format(SIMPLE_HTTP_SERVER_PORT))
         print("Press Ctrl+c to quit serving.")
         httpd.serve_forever()
-
-    #
-    # Private
-    #
-
-    def _merge_config_profile(self):
-        profile = self.config_profile
-        if not profile:
-            return
-        for section in self.config.sections():
-
-            # extract the profile part from the section name
-            # example: [app@default,hd]
-            parts = section.split('@', 1)
-            if len(parts) < 2:
-                continue
-
-            # create a list that contain all the profiles of the current section
-            # ['default', 'hd']
-            section_base, section_profiles = parts
-            section_profiles = section_profiles.split(',')
-            if profile not in section_profiles:
-                continue
-
-            # the current profile is one available in the section
-            # merge with the general section, or make it one.
-            if not self.config.has_section(section_base):
-                self.config.add_section(section_base)
-            for name, value in self.config.items(section):
-                print('merged ({}, {}) into {} (profile is {})'.format(name,
-                        value, section_base, profile))
-                self.config.set(section_base, name, value)
diff --git a/buildozer/default.spec b/buildozer/default.spec
index 89ebe6396..68efaaf7a 100644
--- a/buildozer/default.spec
+++ b/buildozer/default.spec
@@ -415,48 +415,11 @@ warn_on_root = 1
 # (str) Path to build output (i.e. .apk, .aab, .ipa) storage
 # bin_dir = ./bin
 
-#    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#    List as sections
-#
-#    You can define all the "list" as [section:key].
-#    Each line will be considered as a option to the list.
-#    Let's take [app] / source.exclude_patterns.
-#    Instead of doing:
-#
-#[app]
-#source.exclude_patterns = license,data/audio/*.wav,data/images/original/*
-#
-#    This can be translated into:
-#
-#[app:source.exclude_patterns]
-#license
-#data/audio/*.wav
-#data/images/original/*
-#
-
-
-#    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#    Profiles
-#
-#    You can extend section / key with a profile
-#    For example, you want to deploy a demo version of your application without
-#    HD content. You could first change the title to add "(demo)" in the name
-#    and extend the excluded directories to remove the HD content.
-#
-#[app@demo]
-#title = My Application (demo)
-#
-#[app:source.exclude_patterns@demo]
-#images/hd/*
-#
-#    Then, invoke the command line with the "demo" profile:
-#
-#buildozer --profile demo android debug
-
-### Notes about using this file: ###
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#   Notes about using this file:
 #
 #   Buildozer uses a variant of Python's ConfigSpec to read this file.
-#   For the syntax, including interpolations, see
+#   For the basic syntax, including interpolations, see
 #       https://docs.python.org/3/library/configparser.html#supported-ini-file-structure
 #
 #   Warning: Comments cannot be used "inline" - i.e.
@@ -486,3 +449,20 @@ warn_on_root = 1
 #   Buildozer supports overriding options through environment variables.
 #   Name an environment variable as SECTION_OPTION to override a value in a .spec
 #   file.
+#
+#   Buildozer support overriding options through profiles.
+#   For example, you want to deploy a demo version of your application without
+#   HD content. You could first change the title to add "(demo)" in the name
+#   and extend the excluded directories to remove the HD content.
+#
+#       [app@demo]
+#       title = My Application (demo)
+#
+#       [app:source.exclude_patterns@demo]
+#       images/hd/*
+#
+#   Then, invoke the command line with the "demo" profile:
+#
+#        buildozer --profile demo android debug
+#
+#   Environment variable overrides have priority over profile overrides.
diff --git a/buildozer/scripts/remote.py b/buildozer/scripts/remote.py
index ffc8bee35..2caf643cf 100644
--- a/buildozer/scripts/remote.py
+++ b/buildozer/scripts/remote.py
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 
 class BuildozerRemote(Buildozer):
     def run_command(self, args):
+        profile = None
+
         while args:
             if not args[0].startswith('-'):
                 break
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ def run_command(self, args):
                 self.logger.log_level = 2
 
             elif arg in ('-p', '--profile'):
-                self.config_profile = args.pop(0)
+                profile = args.pop(0)
 
             elif arg in ('-h', '--help'):
                 self.usage()
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ def run_command(self, args):
                 print('Buildozer (remote) {0}'.format(__version__))
                 exit(0)
 
-        self._merge_config_profile()
+        self.config.apply_profile(profile)
 
         if len(args) < 2:
             self.usage()
diff --git a/buildozer/specparser.py b/buildozer/specparser.py
index 5167ed3cc..3e39033a5 100644
--- a/buildozer/specparser.py
+++ b/buildozer/specparser.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
             - either comma separated, or in their own [section:option] section.
         - environment variable overrides of values
             - overrides applied at construction.
+        - profiles
         - case-sensitive keys
         - "No values" are permitted.
 """
@@ -13,6 +14,8 @@
 from configparser import ConfigParser
 from os import environ
 
+from buildozer.logger import Logger
+
 
 class SpecParser(ConfigParser):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -49,8 +52,14 @@ def read_dict(self, dictionary, source="<dict>"):
     # Add new getters
 
     def getlist(
-        self, section, token, default=None, with_values=False, strip=True,
-        section_sep="=", split_char=","
+        self,
+        section,
+        token,
+        default=None,
+        with_values=False,
+        strip=True,
+        section_sep="=",
+        split_char=",",
     ):
         """Return a list of strings.
 
@@ -83,8 +92,8 @@ def getlist(
         return values if not strip else [x.strip() for x in values]
 
     def getlistvalues(self, section, token, default=None):
-        """ Convenience function.
-            Deprecated - call getlist directly."""
+        """Convenience function.
+        Deprecated - call getlist directly."""
         return self.getlist(section, token, default, with_values=True)
 
     def getdefault(self, section, token, default=None):
@@ -99,7 +108,55 @@ def getbooldefault(self, section, token, default=False):
         Deprecated - call getboolean directly."""
         return self.getboolean(section, token, fallback=default)
 
-    # Handle env vars.
+    def apply_profile(self, profile):
+        """
+        Sections marked with an @ followed by a list of profiles are only
+        applied if the profile is provided here.
+
+        Implementation Note: A better structure would be for the Profile to be
+        provided in the constructor, so this could be a private method
+        automatically applied on read *before* _override_config_from_envs(),
+        but that will require a significant restructure of Buildozer.
+
+        Instead, this must be called by the client after the read, and the env
+        var overrides need to be reapplied to the relevant options.
+        """
+        if not profile:
+            return
+        for section in self.sections():
+
+            # extract the profile part from the section name
+            # example: [app@default,hd]
+            parts = section.split("@", 1)
+            if len(parts) < 2:
+                continue
+
+            # create a list that contain all the profiles of the current section
+            # ['default', 'hd']
+            section_base, section_profiles = parts
+            section_profiles = section_profiles.split(",")
+
+            # Trim
+            section_base = section_base.strip()
+            section_profiles = [profile.strip() for profile in section_profiles]
+
+            if profile not in section_profiles:
+                continue
+
+            # the current profile is one available in the section
+            # merge with the general section, or make it one.
+            if not self.has_section(section_base):
+                self.add_section(section_base)
+            for name, value in self.items(section):
+                Logger().debug(
+                    "merged ({}, {}) into {} (profile is {})".format(
+                        name, value, section_base, profile
+                    )
+                )
+                self.set(section_base, name, value)
+
+                # Reapply env var, if any.
+                self._override_config_token_from_env(section_base, name)
 
     def _override_config_from_envs(self):
         """Takes a ConfigParser, and checks every section/token for an
diff --git a/tests/test_specparser.py b/tests/test_specparser.py
index 553a09f80..0f4dc7f16 100644
--- a/tests/test_specparser.py
+++ b/tests/test_specparser.py
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ def test_overrides(self):
             sp.read([spec_path])
             assert sp.get("section.1", "attribute.1") == "Env Value"
 
+        del environ["SECTION_1_ATTRIBUTE_1"]
+
     def test_new_getters(self):
         sp = SpecParser()
         sp.read_string(
@@ -118,6 +120,55 @@ def test_case_sensitivity(self):
         assert sp.get("section1", "attribute1") == "a"
         assert sp.get("section1", "Attribute1") == "A"
 
+    def test_profiles(self):
+        sp = SpecParser()
+        sp.read_string(
+            """
+                [section1]
+                attribute1=full system
+                [section1 @demo1, demo2]
+                attribute1=demo mode
+            """
+        )
+
+        # Before a profile is set, return the basic version.
+        assert sp.get("section1", "attribute1") == "full system"
+
+        # Empty profile makes no difference.
+        sp.apply_profile(None)
+        assert sp.get("section1", "attribute1") == "full system"
+
+        # Inapplicable profile makes no difference
+        sp.apply_profile("doesn't exist")
+        assert sp.get("section1", "attribute1") == "full system"
+
+        # Applicable profile changes value
+        sp.apply_profile("demo2")
+        assert sp.get("section1", "attribute1") == "demo mode"
+
+    def test_profiles_vs_env_var(self):
+        sp = SpecParser()
+
+        environ["SECTION1_ATTRIBUTE1"] = "simulation mode"
+
+        sp.read_string(
+            """
+                [section1]
+                attribute1=full system
+                [section1@demo1,demo2]
+                attribute1=demo mode
+            """
+        )
+
+        # Before a profile is set, env var should win.
+        assert sp.get("section1", "attribute1") == "simulation mode"
+
+        # Applicable profile: env var should still win
+        sp.apply_profile("demo1")
+        assert sp.get("section1", "attribute1") == "simulation mode"
+
+        del environ["SECTION1_ATTRIBUTE1"]
+
     def test_controversial_cases(self):
         """Some aspects of the config syntax seem to cause confusion.
         This shows what the code is *specified* to do, which might not be