diff --git a/home/profile b/home/profile
index 8128fa5..22e5b16 100644
--- a/home/profile
+++ b/home/profile
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 ## .profile
 
-# load all shell files
-for file in ~/.dotfiles/shell/*; do
-    [[ -x $file ]] && source $file
-done
+. "$DOTFILES_ROOT_DIR/shell/autoload"
 
 export PATH
+
 # vim: ft=sh
diff --git a/shell/autoload b/shell/autoload
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9de8f8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell/autoload
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# load all shell files
+for file in ~/.dotfiles/shell/*; do
+    [[ -x $file ]] && source $file
+done
+
+# vim: ft=sh