diff --git a/Config.in b/Config.in
index b319ac7..9f42a26 100644
--- a/Config.in
+++ b/Config.in
@@ -419,6 +419,13 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_OVERRIDE_FILE
 	  as the source directory for a particular package. See the
 	  Buildroot documentation for more details on this feature.
 
+config BR2_CONFIG_OVERRIDE_FILE
+	string "location of a configuration override file"
+	help
+	  A configuration override file is a short makefile that contains
+	  variable definitions of the form  BR2_xxx to override configurations
+	  in the .config configuration file.
+
 endmenu
 
 source "toolchain/Config.in"
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4b09437..d133a27 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -94,6 +94,15 @@ endif
 # Pull in the user's configuration file
 ifeq ($(filter $(noconfig_targets),$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
 -include $(CONFIG_DIR)/.config
+
+# Include the config override file if one has been provided in the
+# configuration.
+CONFIG_OVERRIDE_FILE=$(call qstrip,$(BR2_CONFIG_OVERRIDE_FILE))
+ifneq ($(CONFIG_OVERRIDE_FILE),)
+$(warning Overriding configuration with  $(CONFIG_OVERRIDE_FILE))
+include $(CONFIG_OVERRIDE_FILE)
+endif
+
 endif
 
 # To put more focus on warnings, be less verbose as default