diff --git a/doc/PROFILES.md b/doc/PROFILES.md
index 48bda9780..38ceb9e37 100644
--- a/doc/PROFILES.md
+++ b/doc/PROFILES.md
@@ -109,6 +109,46 @@ Multiple profiles may be executed in series with colons:
 
     $ lein with-profile 1.3:1.4 test :database
 
+You may also add/remove profiles from the active profile list by prefixing their
+names with `+` and `-` respectively. Refer to `lein help with-profile` for more
+details.
+
+
+## Activating Profiles Automatically
+
+You might want to activate some profiles implicitly based on certain
+conditions. In order to activate a profile implicitly, set the `:active?` key to a
+boolean expression.
+
+In the following example, profile `:sticky` gets always activated:
+
+```clj
+...
+    :profiles {:sticky {:active? true
+                        ... }
+```
+
+In the following example, lein activates the `:linux` profile only when it is running on Linux:
+
+```clj
+...
+    :profiles {:linux {:active? (= (System/getProperty "os.name") "Linux")
+                       :dependencies [[org.blah/linux-specific-dep "1.1.0"]] }
+```
+
+
+The value of keyword `:active?` may also be a predicate function receiving the
+lein project as its only argument:
+
+```clj
+...
+    :profiles {:non-gpl {:active? (fn [project]
+                                    (not (= (-> project :license :name) "GPL" )))
+                         :dependencies [[org.blah/impure-lib "2.0.0"]] }
+```
+
+You can override the implicit activation of a profile using `lein with-profile -profilename`. Refer to `lein help with-profile` for more details.
+
 ## Composite Profiles
 
 Sometimes it is useful to define a profile as a combination of other
diff --git a/leiningen-core/dev-resources/autoprofiles.clj b/leiningen-core/dev-resources/autoprofiles.clj
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2dacf9339
--- /dev/null
+++ b/leiningen-core/dev-resources/autoprofiles.clj
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+(defproject autoprofiles "0.0.1"
+  :description "Test automatic activation of profiles via :active? expression"
+
+  :profiles {
+
+             :no_activation {:no_activation true }
+
+             :literal_false {:active? false
+                             :literal_false true }
+
+             :literal_true {:active? true
+                            :literal_true true }
+
+             :expression_true {:active? (< 1 2)
+                               :expression_true true }
+
+             :expression_false {:active? (> 1 2)
+                                :expression_false true }
+
+             :fn_false {:active? (fn [project] (not (= (:name project) "autoprofiles" ))  )
+                        :fn_false true }
+
+             :fn_true {:active? (fn [project] (= (:name project) "autoprofiles" )  )
+                       :fn_true true } } )
diff --git a/leiningen-core/src/leiningen/core/project.clj b/leiningen-core/src/leiningen/core/project.clj
index e82ce1c47..c95b8d4ec 100755
--- a/leiningen-core/src/leiningen/core/project.clj
+++ b/leiningen-core/src/leiningen/core/project.clj
@@ -396,12 +396,15 @@
             right)))
 
 (defn- apply-profiles [project profiles]
-  (reduce (fn [project profile]
-            (with-meta
-              (meta-merge project profile)
-              (meta-merge (meta project) (meta profile))))
-          project
-          profiles))
+
+  (let [transient-keys [:active?]]
+
+    (reduce (fn [project profile]
+              (with-meta
+                (meta-merge project (apply dissoc profile transient-keys))
+                (meta-merge (meta project) (meta profile))))
+            project
+            profiles)))
 
 (defn- lookup-profile
   "Lookup a profile in the given profiles map, warning when the profile doesn't
@@ -643,6 +646,22 @@
                                            [:profiles] merge
                                            profiles-map)}))
 
+
+(defn- auto-active-profiles
+  "Given a project with :profiles metadata, return the keys of those profiles
+for which the `:active?` expression or function `(fn [project])` evaluates to
+true"
+  [project]
+
+  (map key (filter (fn [[k profile]]
+                     (let [activation (eval (:active? profile))]
+                       (if (fn? activation)
+                         (activation project)
+                         activation)))
+
+                   (-> project meta :profiles))))
+
+
 (defn read
   "Read project map out of file, which defaults to project.clj."
   ([file profiles]
@@ -656,6 +675,9 @@
            (throw (Exception. (format "%s must define project map" file))))
          ;; return it to original state
          (ns-unmap 'leiningen.core.project 'project)
-         (init-profiles (project-with-profiles @project) profiles))))
+
+         (let [project (project-with-profiles @project)]
+           (init-profiles project (concat profiles (auto-active-profiles project)))))))
+
   ([file] (read file [:default]))
   ([] (read "project.clj")))
diff --git a/leiningen-core/test/leiningen/core/test/project.clj b/leiningen-core/test/leiningen/core/test/project.clj
index da5fde4b1..a47bad2c9 100755
--- a/leiningen-core/test/leiningen/core/test/project.clj
+++ b/leiningen-core/test/leiningen/core/test/project.clj
@@ -516,3 +516,22 @@
                 [["central" {:url "http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/"
                              :snapshots false}]
                  ["clojars" {:url "https://clojars.org/repo/"}]]}})))))))
+
+
+
+(deftest test-read-auto-profiles
+  (let [actual (read (.getFile (io/resource "autoprofiles.clj")))]
+
+    (testing "Profiles with truthy `:active?` expressions/functions must be active"
+      (is (:literal_true actual))
+      (is (:expression_true actual))
+      (is (:fn_true actual)))
+
+    (testing "Profiles with falsy or missing `:active?` expressions must not be active"
+      (is (not (:no_activation actual)))
+      (is (not (:literal_false actual)))
+      (is (not (:expression_false actual)))
+      (is (not (:fn_false actual))))
+
+    (testing "The `:active?` entry must NOT leak out of the profiles and into the project"
+      (is (nil? (:active? actual))))))