diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 235db3e..1552c69 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
+
+	"git.sr.ht/~kisom/goutils/config/iniconf"
 )
 
 // NB: Rather than define a singleton type, everything is defined at
@@ -67,6 +70,34 @@ func LoadFile(path string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// LoadFileFor scans the ini file at path, loading the default section
+// and overriding any keys found under section. If strict is true, the
+// named section must exist (i.e. to catch typos in the section name).
+func LoadFileFor(path, section string, strict bool) error {
+	cmap, err := iniconf.ParseFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for key, value := range cmap[iniconf.DefaultSection] {
+		vars[key] = value
+	}
+
+	smap, ok := cmap[section]
+	if !ok {
+		if strict {
+			return fmt.Errorf("config: section '%s' wasn't found in the config file", section)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	for key, value := range smap {
+		vars[key] = value
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Get retrieves a value from either a configuration file or the
 // environment. Note that values from a file will override environment
 // variables.
diff --git a/config/iniconf/iniconf.go b/config/iniconf/iniconf.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c28cf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/iniconf/iniconf.go
@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
+package iniconf
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"regexp"
+)
+
+// ConfigMap is shorthand for the type used as a config struct.
+type ConfigMap map[string]map[string]string
+
+var (
+	configSection    = regexp.MustCompile(`^\s*\[\s*(\w+)\s*\]\s*$`)
+	quotedConfigLine = regexp.MustCompile(`^\s*(\w+)\s*=\s*["'](.*)["']\s*$`)
+	configLine       = regexp.MustCompile(`^\s*(\w+)\s*=\s*(.*)\s*$`)
+	commentLine      = regexp.MustCompile(`^#.*$`)
+	blankLine        = regexp.MustCompile(`^\s*$`)
+)
+
+// DefaultSection is the label for the default ini file section.
+var DefaultSection = "default"
+
+// ParseFile attempts to load the named config file.
+func ParseFile(fileName string) (cfg ConfigMap, err error) {
+	var file *os.File
+	file, err = os.Open(fileName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+	return ParseReader(file)
+}
+
+// ParseReader reads a configuration from an io.Reader.
+func ParseReader(r io.Reader) (cfg ConfigMap, err error) {
+	cfg = ConfigMap{}
+	buf := bufio.NewReader(r)
+
+	var (
+		line           string
+		longLine       bool
+		currentSection string
+		lineBytes      []byte
+		isPrefix       bool
+	)
+
+	for {
+		err = nil
+		lineBytes, isPrefix, err = buf.ReadLine()
+		if io.EOF == err {
+			err = nil
+			break
+		} else if err != nil {
+			break
+		} else if isPrefix {
+			line += string(lineBytes)
+
+			longLine = true
+			continue
+		} else if longLine {
+			line += string(lineBytes)
+			longLine = false
+		} else {
+			line = string(lineBytes)
+		}
+
+		if commentLine.MatchString(line) {
+			continue
+		} else if blankLine.MatchString(line) {
+			continue
+		} else if configSection.MatchString(line) {
+			section := configSection.ReplaceAllString(line,
+				"$1")
+			if section == "" {
+				err = fmt.Errorf("invalid structure in file")
+				break
+			} else if !cfg.SectionInConfig(section) {
+				cfg[section] = make(map[string]string, 0)
+			}
+			currentSection = section
+		} else if configLine.MatchString(line) {
+			regex := configLine
+			if quotedConfigLine.MatchString(line) {
+				regex = quotedConfigLine
+			}
+			if currentSection == "" {
+				currentSection = DefaultSection
+				if !cfg.SectionInConfig(currentSection) {
+					cfg[currentSection] = map[string]string{}
+				}
+			}
+			key := regex.ReplaceAllString(line, "$1")
+			val := regex.ReplaceAllString(line, "$2")
+			if key == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			cfg[currentSection][key] = val
+		} else {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("invalid config file")
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// SectionInConfig determines whether a section is in the configuration.
+func (c ConfigMap) SectionInConfig(section string) bool {
+	_, ok := c[section]
+	return ok
+}
+
+// ListSections returns the list of sections in the config map.
+func (c ConfigMap) ListSections() (sections []string) {
+	for section := range c {
+		sections = append(sections, section)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// WriteFile writes out the configuration to a file.
+func (c ConfigMap) WriteFile(filename string) (err error) {
+	file, err := os.Create(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	for _, section := range c.ListSections() {
+		sName := fmt.Sprintf("[ %s ]\n", section)
+		_, err = file.Write([]byte(sName))
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+
+		for k, v := range c[section] {
+			line := fmt.Sprintf("%s = %s\n", k, v)
+			_, err = file.Write([]byte(line))
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		_, err = file.Write([]byte{0x0a})
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// AddSection creates a new section in the config map.
+func (c ConfigMap) AddSection(section string) {
+	if nil != c[section] {
+		c[section] = map[string]string{}
+	}
+}
+
+// AddKeyVal adds a key value pair to a config map.
+func (c ConfigMap) AddKeyVal(section, key, val string) {
+	if section == "" {
+		section = DefaultSection
+	}
+
+	if nil == c[section] {
+		c.AddSection(section)
+	}
+
+	c[section][key] = val
+}
+
+// GetValue retrieves the value from a key map.
+func (c ConfigMap) GetValue(section, key string) (val string, present bool) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	if section == "" {
+		section = DefaultSection
+	}
+
+	_, ok := c[section]
+	if !ok {
+		return
+	}
+
+	val, present = c[section][key]
+	return
+}
+
+// GetValueDefault retrieves the value from a key map if present,
+// otherwise the default value.
+func (c ConfigMap) GetValueDefault(section, key, value string) (val string) {
+	kval, ok := c.GetValue(section, key)
+	if !ok {
+		return value
+	}
+	return kval
+}
+
+// SectionKeys returns the sections in the config map.
+func (c ConfigMap) SectionKeys(section string) (keys []string, present bool) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+
+	if section == "" {
+		section = DefaultSection
+	}
+
+	cm := c
+	s, ok := cm[section]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+
+	keys = make([]string, 0, len(s))
+	for key := range s {
+		keys = append(keys, key)
+	}
+
+	return keys, true
+}
diff --git a/config/iniconf/iniconf_test.go b/config/iniconf/iniconf_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..26fa570
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/iniconf/iniconf_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+package iniconf
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"sort"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// FailWithError is a utility for dumping errors and failing the test.
+func FailWithError(t *testing.T, err error) {
+	fmt.Println("failed")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("[!] ", err.Error())
+	}
+	t.FailNow()
+}
+
+// UnlinkIfExists removes a file if it exists.
+func UnlinkIfExists(file string) {
+	_, err := os.Stat(file)
+	if err != nil && os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		panic("failed to remove " + file)
+	}
+	os.Remove(file)
+}
+
+// stringSlicesEqual compares two string lists, checking that they
+// contain the same elements.
+func stringSlicesEqual(slice1, slice2 []string) bool {
+	if len(slice1) != len(slice2) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for i := range slice1 {
+		if slice1[i] != slice2[i] {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	for i := range slice2 {
+		if slice1[i] != slice2[i] {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func TestGoodConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	testFile := "testdata/test.conf"
+	fmt.Printf("[+] validating known-good config... ")
+	cmap, err := ParseFile(testFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	} else if len(cmap) != 2 {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	}
+	fmt.Println("ok")
+}
+
+func TestGoodConfig2(t *testing.T) {
+	testFile := "testdata/test2.conf"
+	fmt.Printf("[+] validating second known-good config... ")
+	cmap, err := ParseFile(testFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	} else if len(cmap) != 1 {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	} else if len(cmap["default"]) != 3 {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	}
+	fmt.Println("ok")
+}
+
+func TestBadConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	testFile := "testdata/bad.conf"
+	fmt.Printf("[+] ensure invalid config file fails... ")
+	_, err := ParseFile(testFile)
+	if err == nil {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("invalid config file should fail")
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	}
+	fmt.Println("ok")
+}
+
+func TestWriteConfigFile(t *testing.T) {
+	fmt.Printf("[+] ensure config file is written properly... ")
+	const testFile = "testdata/test.conf"
+	const testOut = "testdata/test.out"
+
+	cmap, err := ParseFile(testFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	}
+
+	defer UnlinkIfExists(testOut)
+	err = cmap.WriteFile(testOut)
+	if err != nil {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	}
+
+	cmap2, err := ParseFile(testOut)
+	if err != nil {
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	}
+
+	sectionList1 := cmap.ListSections()
+	sectionList2 := cmap2.ListSections()
+	sort.Strings(sectionList1)
+	sort.Strings(sectionList2)
+	if !stringSlicesEqual(sectionList1, sectionList2) {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("section lists don't match")
+		FailWithError(t, err)
+	}
+
+	for _, section := range sectionList1 {
+		for _, k := range cmap[section] {
+			if cmap[section][k] != cmap2[section][k] {
+				err = fmt.Errorf("config key doesn't match")
+				FailWithError(t, err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	fmt.Println("ok")
+}
+
+func TestQuotedValue(t *testing.T) {
+	testFile := "testdata/test.conf"
+	fmt.Printf("[+] validating quoted value... ")
+	cmap, _ := ParseFile(testFile)
+	val := cmap["sectionName"]["key4"]
+	if val != " space at beginning and end " {
+		FailWithError(t, errors.New("Wrong value in double quotes ["+val+"]"))
+	}
+
+	val = cmap["sectionName"]["key5"]
+	if val != " is quoted with single quotes " {
+		FailWithError(t, errors.New("Wrong value in single quotes ["+val+"]"))
+	}
+	fmt.Println("ok")
+}
diff --git a/config/path.go b/config/path.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2da08bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/path.go
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+//go:build ignore
+// +build ignore
+
+package config
+
+import (
+	"os/user"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+// DefaultConfigPath returns a sensible default configuration file path.
+func DefaultConfigPath(dir, base string) string {
+	user, err := user.Current()
+	if err != nil || user.HomeDir == "" {
+		return filepath.Join(dir, base)
+	}
+
+	return filepath.Join(user.HomeDir, dir, base)
+}
diff --git a/config/path_linux.go b/config/path_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..584de56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/path_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+// canUseXDGConfigDir checks whether the XDG config directory exists
+// and is accessible by the current user. If it is present, it will
+// be returned. Note that if the directory does not exist, it is
+// presumed unusable.
+func canUseXDGConfigDir() (string, bool) {
+	xdgDir := os.Getenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIR")
+	if xdgDir == "" {
+		userDir := os.Getenv("HOME")
+		if userDir == "" {
+			return "", false
+		}
+
+		xdgDir = filepath.Join(userDir, ".config")
+	}
+
+	fi, err := os.Stat(xdgDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	if !fi.IsDir() {
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	return xdgDir, true
+}
+
+// DefaultConfigPath returns a sensible default configuration file path.
+func DefaultConfigPath(dir, base string) string {
+	dirPath, ok := canUseXDGConfigDir()
+	if !ok {
+		dirPath = "/etc"
+	}
+
+	return filepath.Join(dirPath, dir, base)
+}
diff --git a/config/path_test.go b/config/path_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95f20d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/path_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package config
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestDefaultPath(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Log(DefaultConfigPath("demoapp", "app.conf"))
+}