diff --git a/pkg.in/Makefile b/pkg.in/Makefile
index c4d25f3f..f307689f 100644
--- a/pkg.in/Makefile
+++ b/pkg.in/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@ endif
 
 # sequential execution, no reason to haste
 all:
-	@for dir in lists groups; do \
+	@for dir in lists groups profiles; do \
 		$(MAKE) -C $$dir; \
 	done
diff --git a/pkg.in/profiles/Makefile b/pkg.in/profiles/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..be21a0c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg.in/profiles/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# step 3: copy package profiles referenced in distro configuration
+#         (and only those!) over to $(BUILDDIR)
+
+ifndef BUILDDIR
+$(error BUILDDIR not defined)
+endif
+
+include $(BUILDDIR)/distcfg.mk
+SUFFIX := pkg/profiles
+TARGET := $(BUILDDIR)/$(SUFFIX)
+
+all: $(GLOBAL_DEBUG)
+	@if [ -n "$(PKG_PROFILES)" ]; then \
+		mkdir -p $(TARGET) && \
+		cp -at $(TARGET) -- \
+			$(addsuffix .directory,$(PKG_PROFILES)); \
+		mp-commit "$(TARGET)" "requested $(SUFFIX) copied over"; \
+	fi
+
+debug:
+	@echo "** PKG_PROFILES: $(PKG_PROFILES)"