diff --git a/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs b/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
index fef773f4a22..5a12f954714 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
@@ -433,12 +433,12 @@ impl Profiles {
     }
 }
 
-/// An object used for handling the profile override hierarchy.
+/// An object used for handling the profile hierarchy.
 ///
 /// The precedence of profiles are (first one wins):
 /// - Profiles in `.cargo/config` files (using same order as below).
-/// - [profile.dev.overrides.name] -- a named package.
-/// - [profile.dev.overrides."*"] -- this cannot apply to workspace members.
+/// - [profile.dev.package.name] -- a named package.
+/// - [profile.dev.package."*"] -- this cannot apply to workspace members.
 /// - [profile.dev.build-override] -- this can only apply to `build.rs` scripts
 ///   and their dependencies.
 /// - [profile.dev]
@@ -511,8 +511,8 @@ impl ProfileMaker {
             Some(ref toml) => toml,
             None => return Ok(()),
         };
-        let overrides = match toml.overrides {
-            Some(ref overrides) => overrides,
+        let overrides = match toml.package.as_ref().or(toml.overrides.as_ref()) {
+            Some(overrides) => overrides,
             None => return Ok(()),
         };
         // Verify that a package doesn't match multiple spec overrides.
@@ -543,8 +543,8 @@ impl ProfileMaker {
                         .collect::<Vec<_>>()
                         .join(", ");
                     failure::bail!(
-                        "multiple profile overrides in profile `{}` match package `{}`\n\
-                         found profile override specs: {}",
+                        "multiple package overrides in profile `{}` match package `{}`\n\
+                         found package specs: {}",
                         self.default.name,
                         pkg_id,
                         specs
@@ -581,12 +581,12 @@ impl ProfileMaker {
                 let suggestion =
                     closest_msg(&spec.name(), packages.package_ids(), |p| p.name().as_str());
                 shell.warn(format!(
-                    "profile override spec `{}` did not match any packages{}",
+                    "package profile spec `{}` did not match any packages{}",
                     spec, suggestion
                 ))?;
             } else {
                 shell.warn(format!(
-                    "version or URL in profile override spec `{}` does not \
+                    "version or URL in package profile spec `{}` does not \
                      match any of the packages: {}",
                     spec,
                     name_matches.join(", ")
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ fn merge_toml_overrides(
             merge_profile(profile, build_override);
         }
     }
-    if let Some(ref overrides) = toml.overrides {
+    if let Some(overrides) = toml.package.as_ref().or(toml.overrides.as_ref()) {
         if !is_member {
             if let Some(all) = overrides.get(&ProfilePackageSpec::All) {
                 merge_profile(profile, all);
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ fn merge_toml_overrides(
                 // no additional matches.
                 assert!(
                     matches.next().is_none(),
-                    "package `{}` matched multiple profile overrides",
+                    "package `{}` matched multiple package profile overrides",
                     pkg_id
                 );
             }
diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
index 91531d112a3..828b4351e32 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
@@ -408,7 +408,10 @@ pub struct TomlProfile {
     pub panic: Option<String>,
     pub overflow_checks: Option<bool>,
     pub incremental: Option<bool>,
+    // `overrides` has been renamed to `package`, this should be removed when
+    // stabilized.
     pub overrides: Option<BTreeMap<ProfilePackageSpec, TomlProfile>>,
+    pub package: Option<BTreeMap<ProfilePackageSpec, TomlProfile>>,
     pub build_override: Option<Box<TomlProfile>>,
     pub dir_name: Option<String>,
     pub inherits: Option<String>,
@@ -457,12 +460,23 @@ impl TomlProfile {
     ) -> CargoResult<()> {
         if let Some(ref profile) = self.build_override {
             features.require(Feature::profile_overrides())?;
-            profile.validate_override()?;
+            profile.validate_override("build-override")?;
         }
         if let Some(ref override_map) = self.overrides {
+            warnings.push(
+                "profile key `overrides` has been renamed to `package`, \
+                 please update the manifest to the new key name"
+                    .to_string(),
+            );
             features.require(Feature::profile_overrides())?;
             for profile in override_map.values() {
-                profile.validate_override()?;
+                profile.validate_override("package")?;
+            }
+        }
+        if let Some(ref packages) = self.package {
+            features.require(Feature::profile_overrides())?;
+            for profile in packages.values() {
+                profile.validate_override("package")?;
             }
         }
 
@@ -555,18 +569,21 @@ impl TomlProfile {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn validate_override(&self) -> CargoResult<()> {
-        if self.overrides.is_some() || self.build_override.is_some() {
-            bail!("Profile overrides cannot be nested.");
+    fn validate_override(&self, which: &str) -> CargoResult<()> {
+        if self.overrides.is_some() || self.package.is_some() {
+            bail!("package-specific profiles cannot be nested");
+        }
+        if self.build_override.is_some() {
+            bail!("build-override profiles cannot be nested");
         }
         if self.panic.is_some() {
-            bail!("`panic` may not be specified in a profile override.")
+            bail!("`panic` may not be specified in a `{}` profile", which)
         }
         if self.lto.is_some() {
-            bail!("`lto` may not be specified in a profile override.")
+            bail!("`lto` may not be specified in a `{}` profile", which)
         }
         if self.rpath.is_some() {
-            bail!("`rpath` may not be specified in a profile override.")
+            bail!("`rpath` may not be specified in a `{}` profile", which)
         }
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -612,6 +629,10 @@ impl TomlProfile {
             self.overrides = Some(v.clone());
         }
 
+        if let Some(v) = &profile.package {
+            self.package = Some(v.clone());
+        }
+
         if let Some(v) = &profile.build_override {
             self.build_override = Some(v.clone());
         }
diff --git a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
index 7509a58c446..933ae2fb761 100644
--- a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
+++ b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ index each time.
 * Original Issue: [#6477](https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/pull/6477)
 * Cache usage meta tracking issue: [#7150](https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/issues/7150)
 
-The `-Z mtime-on-use` flag is an experiment to have Cargo update the mtime of 
-used files to make it easier for tools like cargo-sweep to detect which files 
+The `-Z mtime-on-use` flag is an experiment to have Cargo update the mtime of
+used files to make it easier for tools like cargo-sweep to detect which files
 are stale. For many workflows this needs to be set on *all* invocations of cargo.
 To make this more practical setting the `unstable.mtime_on_use` flag in `.cargo/config`
-or the corresponding ENV variable will apply the `-Z mtime-on-use` to all 
+or the corresponding ENV variable will apply the `-Z mtime-on-use` to all
 invocations of nightly cargo. (the config flag is ignored by stable)
 
 ### avoid-dev-deps
@@ -104,12 +104,12 @@ opt-level = 0
 debug = true
 
 # the `image` crate will be compiled with -Copt-level=3
-[profile.dev.overrides.image]
+[profile.dev.package.image]
 opt-level = 3
 
 # All dependencies (but not this crate itself or any workspace member)
 # will be compiled with -Copt-level=2 . This includes build dependencies.
-[profile.dev.overrides."*"]
+[profile.dev.package."*"]
 opt-level = 2
 
 # Build scripts or proc-macros and their dependencies will be compiled with
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/config.rs b/tests/testsuite/config.rs
index 3632b4d37f8..d6af8614fea 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/config.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/config.rs
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ incremental = true
 [profile.dev.build-override]
 opt-level = 1
 
-[profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+[profile.dev.package.bar]
 codegen-units = 9
 
 [profile.no-lto]
@@ -315,26 +315,26 @@ lto = false
     let config = new_config(&[
         ("CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_CODEGEN_UNITS", "5"),
         ("CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_BUILD_OVERRIDE_CODEGEN_UNITS", "11"),
-        ("CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_OVERRIDES_env_CODEGEN_UNITS", "13"),
-        ("CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_OVERRIDES_bar_OPT_LEVEL", "2"),
+        ("CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_PACKAGE_env_CODEGEN_UNITS", "13"),
+        ("CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_PACKAGE_bar_OPT_LEVEL", "2"),
     ]);
 
     // TODO: don't use actual `tomlprofile`.
     let p: toml::TomlProfile = config.get("profile.dev").unwrap();
-    let mut overrides = collections::BTreeMap::new();
+    let mut packages = collections::BTreeMap::new();
     let key = toml::ProfilePackageSpec::Spec(::cargo::core::PackageIdSpec::parse("bar").unwrap());
     let o_profile = toml::TomlProfile {
         opt_level: Some(toml::TomlOptLevel("2".to_string())),
         codegen_units: Some(9),
         ..Default::default()
     };
-    overrides.insert(key, o_profile);
+    packages.insert(key, o_profile);
     let key = toml::ProfilePackageSpec::Spec(::cargo::core::PackageIdSpec::parse("env").unwrap());
     let o_profile = toml::TomlProfile {
         codegen_units: Some(13),
         ..Default::default()
     };
-    overrides.insert(key, o_profile);
+    packages.insert(key, o_profile);
 
     assert_eq!(
         p,
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ lto = false
             panic: Some("abort".to_string()),
             overflow_checks: Some(true),
             incremental: Some(true),
-            overrides: Some(overrides),
+            package: Some(packages),
             build_override: Some(Box::new(toml::TomlProfile {
                 opt_level: Some(toml::TomlOptLevel("1".to_string())),
                 codegen_units: Some(11),
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/profile_config.rs b/tests/testsuite/profile_config.rs
index cfb76d3fe88..f48c46ff99c 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/profile_config.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/profile_config.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ fn profile_config_validate_warnings() {
             [profile.dev.build-override]
             bad-key-bo = true
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            [profile.dev.package.bar]
             bad-key-bar = true
         "#,
         )
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fn profile_config_validate_warnings() {
 [WARNING] unused key `profile.asdf` in config file `[..].cargo/config`
 [WARNING] unused key `profile.test` in config file `[..].cargo/config`
 [WARNING] unused key `profile.dev.bad-key` in config file `[..].cargo/config`
-[WARNING] unused key `profile.dev.overrides.bar.bad-key-bar` in config file `[..].cargo/config`
+[WARNING] unused key `profile.dev.package.bar.bad-key-bar` in config file `[..].cargo/config`
 [WARNING] unused key `profile.dev.build-override.bad-key-bo` in config file `[..].cargo/config`
 [COMPILING] foo [..]
 [FINISHED] [..]
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ fn profile_config_validate_errors() {
         .file(
             ".cargo/config",
             r#"
-            [profile.dev.overrides.foo]
+            [profile.dev.package.foo]
             panic = "abort"
         "#,
         )
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ fn profile_config_validate_errors() {
 [ERROR] config profile `profile.dev` is not valid
 
 Caused by:
-  `panic` may not be specified in a profile override.
+  `panic` may not be specified in a `package` profile
 ",
         )
         .run();
@@ -194,10 +194,10 @@ fn profile_config_override_spec_multiple() {
         .file(
             ".cargo/config",
             r#"
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            [profile.dev.package.bar]
             opt-level = 3
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides."bar:0.5.0"]
+            [profile.dev.package."bar:0.5.0"]
             opt-level = 3
         "#,
         )
@@ -222,8 +222,8 @@ fn profile_config_override_spec_multiple() {
         .with_status(101)
         .with_stderr(
             "\
-[ERROR] multiple profile overrides in profile `dev` match package `bar v0.5.0 ([..])`
-found profile override specs: bar, bar:0.5.0",
+[ERROR] multiple package overrides in profile `dev` match package `bar v0.5.0 ([..])`
+found package specs: bar, bar:0.5.0",
         )
         .run();
 }
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ fn profile_config_override_precedence() {
             [profile.dev]
             codegen-units = 2
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            [profile.dev.package.bar]
             opt-level = 3
         "#,
         )
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ fn profile_config_override_precedence() {
         .file(
             ".cargo/config",
             r#"
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            [profile.dev.package.bar]
             opt-level = 2
         "#,
         )
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ fn profile_config_no_warn_unknown_override() {
         .file(
             ".cargo/config",
             r#"
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            [profile.dev.package.bar]
             codegen-units = 4
         "#,
         )
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/profile_custom.rs b/tests/testsuite/profile_custom.rs
index 9fcb43f831c..1b95a80aff3 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/profile_custom.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/profile_custom.rs
@@ -296,16 +296,16 @@ fn overrides_with_custom() {
             [profile.dev]
             codegen-units = 7
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.xxx]
+            [profile.dev.package.xxx]
             codegen-units = 5
-            [profile.dev.overrides.yyy]
+            [profile.dev.package.yyy]
             codegen-units = 3
 
             [profile.other]
             inherits = "dev"
             codegen-units = 2
 
-            [profile.other.overrides.yyy]
+            [profile.other.package.yyy]
             codegen-units = 6
         "#,
         )
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/profile_overrides.rs b/tests/testsuite/profile_overrides.rs
index fd9124ad69b..e0465dc9bc6 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/profile_overrides.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/profile_overrides.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ consider adding `cargo-features = [\"profile-overrides\"]` to the manifest
             version = "0.0.1"
             authors = []
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides."*"]
+            [profile.dev.package."*"]
             opt-level = 3
         "#,
         )
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ fn profile_override_basic() {
             [profile.dev]
             opt-level = 1
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            [profile.dev.package.bar]
             opt-level = 3
         "#,
         )
@@ -121,13 +121,13 @@ fn profile_override_warnings() {
             [dependencies]
             bar = {path = "bar"}
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bart]
+            [profile.dev.package.bart]
             opt-level = 3
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.no-suggestion]
+            [profile.dev.package.no-suggestion]
             opt-level = 3
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides."bar:1.2.3"]
+            [profile.dev.package."bar:1.2.3"]
             opt-level = 3
         "#,
         )
@@ -138,11 +138,11 @@ fn profile_override_warnings() {
 
     p.cargo("build").masquerade_as_nightly_cargo().with_stderr_contains(
             "\
-[WARNING] version or URL in profile override spec `bar:1.2.3` does not match any of the packages: bar v0.5.0 ([..])
-[WARNING] profile override spec `bart` did not match any packages
+[WARNING] version or URL in package profile spec `bar:1.2.3` does not match any of the packages: bar v0.5.0 ([..])
+[WARNING] package profile spec `bart` did not match any packages
 
 <tab>Did you mean `bar`?
-[WARNING] profile override spec `no-suggestion` did not match any packages
+[WARNING] package profile spec `no-suggestion` did not match any packages
 [COMPILING] [..]
 ",
         )
@@ -154,17 +154,20 @@ fn profile_override_bad_settings() {
     let bad_values = [
         (
             "panic = \"abort\"",
-            "`panic` may not be specified in a profile override.",
+            "`panic` may not be specified in a `package` profile",
         ),
         (
             "lto = true",
-            "`lto` may not be specified in a profile override.",
+            "`lto` may not be specified in a `package` profile",
         ),
         (
             "rpath = true",
-            "`rpath` may not be specified in a profile override.",
+            "`rpath` may not be specified in a `package` profile",
+        ),
+        (
+            "overrides = {}",
+            "package-specific profiles cannot be nested",
         ),
-        ("overrides = {}", "Profile overrides cannot be nested."),
     ];
     for &(snippet, expected) in bad_values.iter() {
         let p = project()
@@ -181,7 +184,7 @@ fn profile_override_bad_settings() {
                 [dependencies]
                 bar = {{path = "bar"}}
 
-                [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+                [profile.dev.package.bar]
                 {}
             "#,
                     snippet
@@ -215,10 +218,10 @@ fn profile_override_hierarchy() {
             [profile.dev]
             codegen-units = 1
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.m2]
+            [profile.dev.package.m2]
             codegen-units = 2
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides."*"]
+            [profile.dev.package."*"]
             codegen-units = 3
 
             [profile.dev.build-override]
@@ -276,10 +279,10 @@ fn profile_override_hierarchy() {
     // Profiles should be:
     // m3: 4 (as build.rs dependency)
     // m3: 1 (as [profile.dev] as workspace member)
-    // dep: 3 (as [profile.dev.overrides."*"] as non-workspace member)
+    // dep: 3 (as [profile.dev.package."*"] as non-workspace member)
     // m1 build.rs: 4 (as [profile.dev.build-override])
-    // m2 build.rs: 2 (as [profile.dev.overrides.m2])
-    // m2: 2 (as [profile.dev.overrides.m2])
+    // m2 build.rs: 2 (as [profile.dev.package.m2])
+    // m2: 2 (as [profile.dev.package.m2])
     // m1: 1 (as [profile.dev])
 
     p.cargo("build -v").masquerade_as_nightly_cargo().with_stderr_unordered("\
@@ -317,10 +320,10 @@ fn profile_override_spec_multiple() {
             [dependencies]
             bar = { path = "bar" }
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            [profile.dev.package.bar]
             opt-level = 3
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides."bar:0.5.0"]
+            [profile.dev.package."bar:0.5.0"]
             opt-level = 3
             "#,
         )
@@ -334,8 +337,8 @@ fn profile_override_spec_multiple() {
         .with_status(101)
         .with_stderr_contains(
             "\
-[ERROR] multiple profile overrides in profile `dev` match package `bar v0.5.0 ([..])`
-found profile override specs: bar, bar:0.5.0",
+[ERROR] multiple package overrides in profile `dev` match package `bar v0.5.0 ([..])`
+found package specs: bar, bar:0.5.0",
         )
         .run();
 }
@@ -351,10 +354,10 @@ fn profile_override_spec() {
             [workspace]
             members = ["m1", "m2"]
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides."dep:1.0.0"]
+            [profile.dev.package."dep:1.0.0"]
             codegen-units = 1
 
-            [profile.dev.overrides."dep:2.0.0"]
+            [profile.dev.package."dep:2.0.0"]
             codegen-units = 2
             "#,
         )
@@ -471,3 +474,41 @@ fn override_proc_macro() {
         )
         .run();
 }
+
+#[cargo_test]
+fn override_package_rename() {
+    // backwards-compatibility test
+    let p = project()
+        .file(
+            "Cargo.toml",
+            r#"
+            cargo-features = ["profile-overrides"]
+            [package]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+
+            [dependencies]
+            bar = {path = "bar"}
+
+            [profile.dev]
+            opt-level = 1
+
+            [profile.dev.overrides.bar]
+            opt-level = 3
+            "#,
+        )
+        .file("src/lib.rs", "")
+        .file("bar/Cargo.toml", &basic_lib_manifest("bar"))
+        .file("bar/src/lib.rs", "")
+        .build();
+
+    p.cargo("check")
+        .masquerade_as_nightly_cargo()
+        .with_stderr("\
+[WARNING] profile key `overrides` has been renamed to `package`, please update the manifest to the new key name
+[CHECKING] bar [..]
+[CHECKING] foo [..]
+[FINISHED] [..]
+")
+        .run();
+}