diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index bc045e6..d06c7a3 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ use crate::readline::term::{LineWriter, RawModeGuard, raw_mode};
 use crate::readline::{Prompt, ReadlineEvent, ShedVi};
 use crate::signal::{GOT_SIGWINCH, JOB_DONE, QUIT_CODE, check_signals, sig_setup, signals_pending};
 use crate::state::{
-  AutoCmdKind, read_logic, read_shopts, source_rc, write_jobs, write_meta, write_shopts,
+  AutoCmdKind, read_logic, read_shopts, source_env, source_login, source_rc, write_jobs, write_meta, write_shopts
 };
 use clap::Parser;
 use state::write_vars;
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
     unsafe { env::set_var("SHLVL", "1") };
   }
 
+	if let Err(e) = source_env() {
+		e.print_error();
+	}
+
   if let Err(e) = if let Some(cmd) = args.command {
     exec_dash_c(cmd)
   } else if args.stdin || !isatty(STDIN_FILENO).unwrap_or(false) {
@@ -217,6 +221,11 @@ fn shed_interactive(args: ShedArgs) -> ShResult<()> {
   let _raw_mode = raw_mode(); // sets raw mode, restores termios on drop
   sig_setup(args.login_shell);
 
+	if args.login_shell
+	&& let Err(e) = source_login() {
+		e.print_error();
+	}
+
   if let Err(e) = source_rc() {
     e.print_error();
   }
diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index 690a5d9..a9c6bb9 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use std::{
   time::Duration,
 };
 
-use nix::unistd::{User, gethostname, getppid};
+use nix::unistd::{User, gethostname, getppid, getuid};
 use regex::Regex;
 
 use crate::{
@@ -1872,19 +1872,39 @@ pub fn set_status(code: i32) {
   write_vars(|v| v.set_param(ShellParam::Status, &code.to_string()))
 }
 
-pub fn source_rc() -> ShResult<()> {
-  let path = if let Ok(path) = env::var("SHED_RC") {
+pub fn source_runtime_file(name: &str, env_var_name: Option<&str>) -> ShResult<()> {
+	let etc_path = PathBuf::from(format!("/etc/shed/{name}"));
+	if etc_path.is_file()
+	&& let Err(e) = source_file(etc_path) {
+		e.print_error();
+	}
+
+  let path = if let Some(name) = env_var_name
+	&& let Ok(path) = env::var(name) {
     PathBuf::from(&path)
+	} else if let Some(home) = get_home() {
+		home.join(format!(".{name}"))
   } else {
-    let home = env::var("HOME").unwrap();
-    PathBuf::from(format!("{home}/.shedrc"))
+		return Err(ShErr::simple(ShErrKind::InternalErr, "could not determine home path"));
   };
-  if !path.exists() {
-    return Err(ShErr::simple(ShErrKind::InternalErr, ".shedrc not found"));
+  if !path.is_file() {
+		return Ok(())
   }
   source_file(path)
 }
 
+pub fn source_rc() -> ShResult<()> {
+	source_runtime_file("shedrc", Some("SHED_RC"))
+}
+
+pub fn source_login() -> ShResult<()> {
+	source_runtime_file("shed_profile", Some("SHED_PROFILE"))
+}
+
+pub fn source_env() -> ShResult<()> {
+	source_runtime_file("shedenv", Some("SHED_ENV"))
+}
+
 pub fn source_file(path: PathBuf) -> ShResult<()> {
   let source_name = path.to_string_lossy().to_string();
   let mut file = OpenOptions::new().read(true).open(path)?;
@@ -1894,3 +1914,33 @@ pub fn source_file(path: PathBuf) -> ShResult<()> {
   exec_input(buf, None, false, Some(source_name))?;
   Ok(())
 }
+
+#[track_caller]
+pub fn get_home_unchecked() -> PathBuf {
+	if let Some(home) = get_home() {
+		home
+	} else {
+		let caller = std::panic::Location::caller();
+		panic!("get_home_unchecked: could not determine home directory (called from {}:{})", caller.file(), caller.line())
+	}
+}
+
+#[track_caller]
+pub fn get_home_str_unchecked() -> String {
+	if let Some(home) = get_home() {
+		home.to_string_lossy().to_string()
+	} else {
+		let caller = std::panic::Location::caller();
+		panic!("get_home_str_unchecked: could not determine home directory (called from {}:{})", caller.file(), caller.line())
+	}
+}
+
+pub fn get_home() -> Option<PathBuf> {
+	env::var("HOME").ok().map(PathBuf::from).or_else(|| {
+		User::from_uid(getuid()).ok().flatten().map(|u| u.dir)
+	})
+}
+
+pub fn get_home_str() -> Option<String> {
+	get_home().map(|h| h.to_string_lossy().to_string())
+}