diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9c680160..e44e71c1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ this file in your <tt>knife.rb</tt> file, like so:
 knife[:aws_credential_file] = "/path/to/credentials/file/in/above/format"
 ```
 
+If you have multiple profiles in your credentials file you can define which
+profile to use. The `default` profile will be used if not supplied,
+
+```ruby
+knife[:aws_profile] = "personal"
+```
+
 Additionally the following options may be set in your `knife.rb`:
 
 - flavor
diff --git a/lib/chef/knife/ec2_base.rb b/lib/chef/knife/ec2_base.rb
index 65841874..6141cf95 100644
--- a/lib/chef/knife/ec2_base.rb
+++ b/lib/chef/knife/ec2_base.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ def self.included(includer)
             :description => "File containing AWS credentials as used by aws cmdline tools",
             :proc => Proc.new { |key| Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_credential_file] = key }
 
+          option :aws_profile,
+            :long => "--aws-profile PROFILE",
+            :description => "AWS profile, from credential file, to use",
+            :default => 'default',
+            :proc => Proc.new { |key| Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_profile] = key }
+
           option :aws_access_key_id,
             :short => "-A ID",
             :long => "--aws-access-key-id KEY",
@@ -115,14 +121,14 @@ def validate!(keys=[:aws_access_key_id, :aws_secret_access_key])
             # AWSAccessKeyId=somethingsomethingdarkside
             # AWSSecretKey=somethingsomethingcomplete
             #               OR
+            # [default]
             # aws_access_key_id = somethingsomethingdarkside
             # aws_secret_access_key = somethingsomethingdarkside
 
-            aws_creds = []
-            File.read(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_credential_file]).each_line do | line |
-              aws_creds << line.split("=").map(&:strip) if line.include?("=")
-            end
-            entries = Hash[*aws_creds.flatten]
+            aws_creds = ini_parse(File.read(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_credential_file]))
+            profile = Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_profile] || 'default'
+            entries = aws_creds.values.first.has_key?("AWSAccessKeyId") ? aws_creds.values.first : aws_creds[profile]
+
             Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_access_key_id] = entries['AWSAccessKeyId'] || entries['aws_access_key_id']
             Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_secret_access_key] = entries['AWSSecretKey'] || entries['aws_secret_access_key']
           end
@@ -149,5 +155,24 @@ def iam_name_from_profile(profile)
       end
       name ||= ''
     end
+
+    def ini_parse(file)
+      current_section = {}
+      map = {}
+      file.each_line do |line|
+        line = line.split(/^|\s;/).first # remove comments
+        section = line.match(/^\s*\[([^\[\]]+)\]\s*$/) unless line.nil?
+        if section
+          current_section = section[1]
+        elsif current_section
+          item = line.match(/^\s*(.+?)\s*=\s*(.+?)\s*$/) unless line.nil?
+          if item
+            map[current_section] ||= {}
+            map[current_section][item[1]] = item[2]
+          end
+        end
+      end
+      map
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/unit/ec2_server_create_spec.rb b/spec/unit/ec2_server_create_spec.rb
index 697643c9..7599b53c 100644
--- a/spec/unit/ec2_server_create_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/ec2_server_create_spec.rb
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@
       end
       it "reads UNIX Line endings for new format" do
         allow(File).to receive(:read).
-          and_return("aws_access_key_id=#{@access_key_id}\naws_secret_access_key=#{@secret_key}")
+          and_return("[default]\naws_access_key_id=#{@access_key_id}\naws_secret_access_key=#{@secret_key}")
         @knife_ec2_create.validate!
         expect(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_access_key_id]).to eq(@access_key_id)
         expect(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_secret_access_key]).to eq(@secret_key)
@@ -712,11 +712,20 @@
 
       it "reads DOS Line endings for new format" do
         allow(File).to receive(:read).
-          and_return("aws_access_key_id=#{@access_key_id}\r\naws_secret_access_key=#{@secret_key}")
+          and_return("[default]\naws_access_key_id=#{@access_key_id}\r\naws_secret_access_key=#{@secret_key}")
         @knife_ec2_create.validate!
         expect(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_access_key_id]).to eq(@access_key_id)
         expect(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_secret_access_key]).to eq(@secret_key)
-      end      
+      end
+
+      it "loads the correct profile" do
+        Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_profile] = 'other'
+        allow(File).to receive(:read).
+          and_return("[default]\naws_access_key_id=TESTKEY\r\naws_secret_access_key=TESTSECRET\n\n[other]\naws_access_key_id=#{@access_key_id}\r\naws_secret_access_key=#{@secret_key}")
+        @knife_ec2_create.validate!
+        expect(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_access_key_id]).to eq(@access_key_id)
+        expect(Chef::Config[:knife][:aws_secret_access_key]).to eq(@secret_key)
+      end
     end
 
     it 'understands that file:// validation key URIs are just paths' do