diff --git a/IPython/core/profiledir.py b/IPython/core/profiledir.py
index 25ad5b4..7cc9e13 100644
--- a/IPython/core/profiledir.py
+++ b/IPython/core/profiledir.py
@@ -59,9 +59,11 @@ class ProfileDir(LoggingConfigurable):
 
     security_dir_name = Unicode('security')
     log_dir_name = Unicode('log')
+    startup_dir_name = Unicode('startup')
     pid_dir_name = Unicode('pid')
     security_dir = Unicode(u'')
     log_dir = Unicode(u'')
+    startup_dir = Unicode(u'')
     pid_dir = Unicode(u'')
 
     location = Unicode(u'', config=True,
@@ -81,6 +83,7 @@ class ProfileDir(LoggingConfigurable):
         # ensure config files exist:
         self.security_dir = os.path.join(new, self.security_dir_name)
         self.log_dir = os.path.join(new, self.log_dir_name)
+        self.startup_dir = os.path.join(new, self.startup_dir_name)
         self.pid_dir = os.path.join(new, self.pid_dir_name)
         self.check_dirs()
 
@@ -91,6 +94,13 @@ class ProfileDir(LoggingConfigurable):
         if not os.path.isdir(self.log_dir):
             os.mkdir(self.log_dir)
 
+    def _startup_dir_changed(self, name, old, new):
+        self.check_startup_dir()
+
+    def check_startup_dir(self):
+        if not os.path.isdir(self.startup_dir):
+            os.mkdir(self.startup_dir)
+
     def _security_dir_changed(self, name, old, new):
         self.check_security_dir()
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/shellapp.py b/IPython/core/shellapp.py
index 95a115f..6549c24 100644
--- a/IPython/core/shellapp.py
+++ b/IPython/core/shellapp.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Authors
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+import glob
 import os
 import sys
 
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ class InteractiveShellApp(Configurable):
 
     def init_code(self):
         """run the pre-flight code, specified via exec_lines"""
+        self._run_startup_files()
         self._run_exec_lines()
         self._run_exec_files()
         self._run_cmd_line_code()
@@ -230,6 +232,22 @@ class InteractiveShellApp(Configurable):
         finally:
             sys.argv = save_argv
 
+    def _run_startup_files(self):
+        """Run files from profile startup directory"""
+        startup_dir = self.profile_dir.startup_dir
+        startup_files = glob.glob(os.path.join(startup_dir, '*.py'))
+        startup_files += glob.glob(os.path.join(startup_dir, '*.ipy'))
+        if not startup_files:
+            return
+        
+        self.log.debug("Running startup files from %s...", startup_dir)
+        try:
+            for fname in sorted(startup_files):
+                self._exec_file(fname)
+        except:
+            self.log.warn("Unknown error in handling startup files:")
+            self.shell.showtraceback()
+
     def _run_exec_files(self):
         """Run files from IPythonApp.exec_files"""
         if not self.exec_files: