diff --git a/mercurial/dispatch.py b/mercurial/dispatch.py
--- a/mercurial/dispatch.py
+++ b/mercurial/dispatch.py
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ def _dispatch(req):
         for ui_ in uis:
             ui_.setconfig('profiling', 'enabled', 'true', '--profile')
 
-    with profiling.maybeprofile(lui):
+    with profiling.maybeprofile(lui) as profiler:
         # Configure extensions in phases: uisetup, extsetup, cmdtable, and
         # reposetup. Programs like TortoiseHg will call _dispatch several
         # times so we keep track of configured extensions in _loaded.
@@ -827,6 +827,8 @@ def _dispatch(req):
                     _("time: real %.3f secs (user %.3f+%.3f sys %.3f+%.3f)\n") %
                     (t[4]-s[4], t[0]-s[0], t[2]-s[2], t[1]-s[1], t[3]-s[3]))
             ui.atexit(print_time)
+        if options["profile"]:
+            profiler.start()
 
         if options['verbose'] or options['debug'] or options['quiet']:
             for opt in ('verbose', 'debug', 'quiet'):
diff --git a/tests/test-profile.t b/tests/test-profile.t
--- a/tests/test-profile.t
+++ b/tests/test-profile.t
@@ -4,10 +4,24 @@ test --time
   $ hg init a
   $ cd a
 
-#if lsprof
 
 test --profile
 
+  $ hg st --profile 2>&1 | grep Sample
+  Sample count: \d+ (re)
+
+Abreviated version
+
+  $ hg st --prof 2>&1 | grep Sample
+  Sample count: \d+ (re)
+
+In alias
+
+  $ hg --config "alias.profst=status --profile" profst 2>&1 | grep Sample
+  Sample count: \d+ (re)
+
+#if lsprof
+
   $ prof='hg --config profiling.type=ls --profile'
 
   $ $prof st 2>../out