diff --git a/IPython/core/application.py b/IPython/core/application.py
index 2399985..64656e4 100644
--- a/IPython/core/application.py
+++ b/IPython/core/application.py
@@ -104,11 +104,9 @@ class BaseIPythonApplication(Application):
     def _config_file_paths_default(self):
         return [os.getcwdu()]
 
-    profile = Unicode(u'', config=True,
+    profile = Unicode(u'default', config=True,
         help="""The IPython profile to use."""
     )
-    def _profile_default(self):
-        return "python3" if py3compat.PY3 else "default"
 
     def _profile_changed(self, name, old, new):
         self.builtin_profile_dir = os.path.join(
@@ -230,7 +228,7 @@ class BaseIPythonApplication(Application):
                 p = ProfileDir.find_profile_dir_by_name(self.ipython_dir, self.profile, self.config)
             except ProfileDirError:
                 # not found, maybe create it (always create default profile)
-                if self.auto_create or self.profile==self._profile_default():
+                if self.auto_create or self.profile=='default':
                     try:
                         p = ProfileDir.create_profile_dir_by_name(self.ipython_dir, self.profile, self.config)
                     except ProfileDirError:
diff --git a/IPython/core/magic.py b/IPython/core/magic.py
index 8ab7022..67cd623 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magic.py
@@ -527,7 +527,11 @@ Currently the magic system has the following functions:\n"""
 
     def magic_profile(self, parameter_s=''):
         """Print your currently active IPython profile."""
-        print self.shell.profile
+        from IPython.core.application import BaseIPythonApplication
+        if BaseIPythonApplication.initialized():
+            print BaseIPythonApplication.instance().profile
+        else:
+            error("profile is an application-level value, but you don't appear to be in an IPython application")
 
     def magic_pinfo(self, parameter_s='', namespaces=None):
         """Provide detailed information about an object.
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py
index edba003..781c4c9 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_profile.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def test_startup_py():
     # write simple test file, to check that the startup file was run
     fname = os.path.join(TMP_TEST_DIR, 'test.py')
     with open(fname, 'w') as f:
-        f.write('print zzz\n')
+        f.write(py3compat.doctest_refactor_print('print zzz\n'))
     # validate output
     tt.ipexec_validate(fname, '123', '', 
         options=['--ipython-dir', IP_TEST_DIR, '--profile', 'test'])
@@ -100,4 +100,4 @@ def test_startup_ipy():
     tt.ipexec_validate(fname, 'test', '', 
         options=['--ipython-dir', IP_TEST_DIR, '--profile', 'test'])
     
-    
\ No newline at end of file
+    
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py b/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
index cef40f1..cf154e4 100755
--- a/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class Kernel(Configurable):
 
     shell = Instance('IPython.core.interactiveshell.InteractiveShellABC')
     session = Instance(Session)
+    profile_dir = Instance('IPython.core.profiledir.ProfileDir')
     shell_socket = Instance('zmq.Socket')
     iopub_socket = Instance('zmq.Socket')
     stdin_socket = Instance('zmq.Socket')
@@ -106,7 +107,9 @@ class Kernel(Configurable):
         atexit.register(self._at_shutdown)
 
         # Initialize the InteractiveShell subclass
-        self.shell = ZMQInteractiveShell.instance(config=self.config)
+        self.shell = ZMQInteractiveShell.instance(config=self.config,
+            profile_dir = self.profile_dir,
+        )
         self.shell.displayhook.session = self.session
         self.shell.displayhook.pub_socket = self.iopub_socket
         self.shell.display_pub.session = self.session
@@ -739,16 +742,16 @@ class IPKernelApp(KernelApp, InteractiveShellApp):
         self.init_code()
 
     def init_kernel(self):
-        kernel_factory = Kernel
 
         if self.pylab:
             gui, backend = pylabtools.find_gui_and_backend(self.pylab)
 
-        kernel = kernel_factory(config=self.config, session=self.session,
+        kernel = Kernel(config=self.config, session=self.session,
                                 shell_socket=self.shell_socket,
                                 iopub_socket=self.iopub_socket,
                                 stdin_socket=self.stdin_socket,
                                 log=self.log,
+                                profile_dir=self.profile_dir,
         )
         self.kernel = kernel
         kernel.record_ports(self.ports)