diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..559501e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+test/value*		                text eol=lf
+"test/dir with spaces/value 3"  text eol=lf
diff --git a/src/conf_parse.erl b/src/conf_parse.erl
index 615eaf1..ab80f17 100644
--- a/src/conf_parse.erl
+++ b/src/conf_parse.erl
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ included_dir_test() ->
         ], Conf),
     ok.
 
+escaped_dots_are_removed_test() ->
+    Conf = conf_parse:parse("#comment\nsetting\\.0 = thing0\n"),
+    ?assertEqual([
+            {["setting.0"],"thing0"}
+        ], Conf),
+    ok.
+
 utf8_test() ->
     Conf = conf_parse:parse("setting = thing" ++ [338] ++ "\n"),
     ?assertEqual([{["setting"],
diff --git a/src/conf_parse.peg b/src/conf_parse.peg
index c904d16..d22bb57 100644
--- a/src/conf_parse.peg
+++ b/src/conf_parse.peg
@@ -202,6 +202,13 @@ included_dir_test() ->
         ], Conf),
     ok.
 
+escaped_dots_are_removed_test() ->
+    Conf = conf_parse:parse("#comment\nsetting\\.0 = thing0\n"),
+    ?assertEqual([
+            {["setting.0"],"thing0"}
+        ], Conf),
+    ok.
+
 utf8_test() ->
     Conf = conf_parse:parse("setting = thing" ++ [338] ++ "\n"),
     ?assertEqual([{["setting"],
diff --git a/src/cuttlefish_conf.erl b/src/cuttlefish_conf.erl
index 72b7e48..aa5e328 100644
--- a/src/cuttlefish_conf.erl
+++ b/src/cuttlefish_conf.erl
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ file(Filename) ->
             {_, Values} = lists:unzip(Conf),
             case cuttlefish_error:filter(Values) of
                 {errorlist, []} ->
-                    remove_duplicates(Conf);
+                    % expand any non-literal values (ie. included values)
+                    expand_values(Filename, remove_duplicates(Conf));
                 {errorlist, ErrorList} ->
                     NewErrorList = [ {error, {in_file, {Filename, E}}} || {error, E} <- ErrorList ],
                     {errorlist, NewErrorList}
@@ -98,6 +99,31 @@ fold_conf_files(Filename, Conf0) ->
                 [],
                 Conf0).
 
+expand_values(Filename, Conf) ->
+    lists:map(fun({K, Value0}) ->
+                case re:split(Value0, "[$(<)]") of
+                    [_, _, _, IncludeFilename0, _] ->
+                        % this is a value of the format "$(<IncludeFilename), let's read the contents
+                        % of `IncludeFilename` and use that as the new value
+                        %
+                        % strip all space chars from beginning/end and join the relative filename with the
+                        % location of the sourcing .conf file
+                        IncludeFilename = filename:join([filename:dirname(Filename),
+                                                         re:replace(IncludeFilename0, "(^\\s+)|(\\s+$)", "", [{return, list}])]),
+                        % read the entire file contents and strip newline
+                        case file:read_file(IncludeFilename) of
+                          {ok, Value} ->
+                            {K, re:replace(Value, "[\n\r]$", "", [{return, list}])};
+                          {error, Reason} ->
+                            throw({unable_to_open, IncludeFilename, Reason})
+                        end;
+                    _ ->
+                        % normal value, nothing to do
+                        {K, Value0}
+                end
+              end,
+              Conf).
+
 -spec generate([cuttlefish_mapping:mapping()]) -> [string()].
 generate(Mappings) ->
     lists:foldl(
@@ -391,6 +417,17 @@ included_dir_test() ->
         ]), lists:sort(Conf)),
     ok.
 
+included_value_test() ->
+    Conf = file("test/included_value.conf"),
+    ?assertEqual(lists:sort([
+             {["value1"], "42"},
+             {["value2"], "43"},
+             {["value3"], "42"},
+             {["value4"], "multi\nline\nvalue"},
+             {["value5"], "12.34"}
+        ]), lists:sort(Conf)),
+    ok.
+
 assert_no_output(Setting) ->
     Mapping = cuttlefish_mapping:parse(
                 {mapping,
diff --git a/src/cuttlefish_unit.erl b/src/cuttlefish_unit.erl
index 6dbd2a3..e655bbb 100644
--- a/src/cuttlefish_unit.erl
+++ b/src/cuttlefish_unit.erl
@@ -104,28 +104,6 @@ assert_not_configured(Config, Path) ->
 assert_error(Config) ->
     ?assertMatch({error, _, {errorlist, _}}, Config).
 
-%% @doc Asserts that the generated configuration is in error, with the
-%% error occurring in a specific phase.
-assert_error_in_phase(Config, Phase) when is_atom(Phase) ->
-    ?assertMatch({error, Phase, {errorlist, _}}, Config).
-
-%% @doc Asserts that the generated configuration is in error, and the
-%% given error message was emitted by the given phase.
-assert_error(Config, Phase, Message) ->
-    assert_error_in_phase(Config, Phase),
-    assert_error_message(Config, Message).
-
-%% @doc Asserts that the generated configuration is in error and has
-%% the given error messages.
-assert_errors(Config, [H|_]=Messages) when is_list(H) ->
-    [ assert_error_message(Config, Message) || Message <- Messages ].
-
-%% @doc Asserts that the generated configuration is in error, with
-%% errors occuring in the given phase and containing the given
-%% messages.
-assert_errors(Config, Phase, [H|_]=Messages) when is_list(H) ->
-    assert_error_in_phase(Config, Phase),
-    [ assert_error_message(Config, Message) || Message <- Messages ].
 
 %% @doc Asserts that the generated configuration is in error and
 %% contains an error tuple that translates to the given error message
diff --git a/src/cuttlefish_util.erl b/src/cuttlefish_util.erl
index ce174aa..ebb1bf7 100644
--- a/src/cuttlefish_util.erl
+++ b/src/cuttlefish_util.erl
@@ -188,4 +188,10 @@ ceiling_test() ->
     ?assertEqual(-2, ceiling(-2.9999999)),
     ok.
 
+numerify_test() ->
+    ?assertEqual(42, numerify("42")),
+    ?assertEqual(42.0, numerify("42.0")),
+    ?assertEqual(0.5, numerify(".5")),
+    ok.
+
 -endif.
diff --git a/test/dir with spaces/value 3 b/test/dir with spaces/value 3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..71a7cf9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/dir with spaces/value 3	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+12.34
diff --git a/test/included_value.conf b/test/included_value.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..afb7e9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/included_value.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+value1 = $(<value1)
+value2 = 43
+value3 = $(< value1)
+value4 = $(< value2)
+value5 = $(< ../test/dir with spaces/value 3)
diff --git a/test/value1 b/test/value1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d81cc07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/value1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+42
diff --git a/test/value2 b/test/value2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ece6cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/value2
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+multi
+line
+value