diff --git a/IPython/config/profile/README_STARTUP b/IPython/config/profile/README_STARTUP
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..61d4700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/config/profile/README_STARTUP
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+This is the IPython startup directory
+
+.py and .ipy files in this directory will be run *prior* to any code or files specified
+via the exec_lines or exec_files configurables whenever you load this profile.
+
+Files will be run in lexicographical order, so you can control the execution order of files
+with a prefix, e.g.::
+
+    00-first.py
+    50-middle.py
+    99-last.ipy
diff --git a/IPython/core/profiledir.py b/IPython/core/profiledir.py
index 7cc9e13..935dbf9 100644
--- a/IPython/core/profiledir.py
+++ b/IPython/core/profiledir.py
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ class ProfileDir(LoggingConfigurable):
     def check_startup_dir(self):
         if not os.path.isdir(self.startup_dir):
             os.mkdir(self.startup_dir)
+        readme = os.path.join(self.startup_dir, 'README')
+        src = os.path.join(get_ipython_package_dir(), u'config', u'profile', u'README_STARTUP')
+        if not os.path.exists(readme):
+            shutil.copy(src, readme)
 
     def _security_dir_changed(self, name, old, new):
         self.check_security_dir()
@@ -129,6 +133,7 @@ class ProfileDir(LoggingConfigurable):
         self.check_security_dir()
         self.check_log_dir()
         self.check_pid_dir()
+        self.check_startup_dir()
 
     def copy_config_file(self, config_file, path=None, overwrite=False):
         """Copy a default config file into the active profile directory.
diff --git a/setupbase.py b/setupbase.py
index 0113f6d..8a7efa9 100644
--- a/setupbase.py
+++ b/setupbase.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def find_package_data():
             static_data.append(os.path.join(parent, f))
 
     package_data = {
-        'IPython.config.profile' : ['README', '*/*.py'],
+        'IPython.config.profile' : ['README*', '*/*.py'],
         'IPython.testing' : ['*.txt'],
         'IPython.frontend.html.notebook' : ['templates/*'] + static_data,
         'IPython.frontend.qt.console' : ['resources/icon/*.svg'],