diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 92a00d3..1abd5b2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -50,18 +50,23 @@ USEPKG = --usepkg --binpkg-respect-use=y
 RSYNC_MIRROR = rsync://rsync.gtlib.gatech.edu/gentoo/
 KERNEL_PKG = gentoo-sources
 WORLD = appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/world
+WORLD_DEFAULT = appliances/default/world
 EXTRA_WORLD =
 
 # /etc/portage targets
 base_etc_portage := $(wildcard configs/portage/*)
 etc_portage := $(patsubst configs/portage/%,$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/%,$(base_etc_portage))
+default_package_files := $(wildcard appliances/default/package.*)
 appliance_package_files := $(wildcard appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.*)
-portage_package_files = $(patsubst appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.%,$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/01$(APPLIANCE),$(appliance_package_files))
+portage_default_package_files = $(patsubst appliances/default/package.%,$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/01default,$(default_package_files))
+portage_package_files = $(patsubst appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.%,$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/02$(APPLIANCE),$(appliance_package_files))
+default_make_conf = $(wildcard appliances/default/make.conf)
 appliance_make_conf = $(wildcard appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/make.conf)
 portage_make_conf_local = $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/make.conf.local
 appliance_profile := default/linux/amd64/17.1/systemd
 
 # Allow appliance to override variables
+-include appliances/default/default.cfg
 -include appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/$(APPLIANCE).cfg
 
 # Allow user to override variables
@@ -131,7 +136,7 @@ else
 	$(M4) -DDRIVE=vda $< > $@
 endif
 
-$(PREPROOT): $(STAGE3) $(PORTAGE_DIR) $(foreach repo,$(REPO_NAMES),$(REPO_DIR)/$(repo)) $(CHROOT)/etc/fstab $(etc_portage) $(portage_package_files)
+$(PREPROOT): $(STAGE3) $(PORTAGE_DIR) $(foreach repo,$(REPO_NAMES),$(REPO_DIR)/$(repo)) $(CHROOT)/etc/fstab $(etc_portage) $(portage_default_package_files) $(portage_package_files)
 	mkdir -p $(VA_PKGDIR) $(DISTDIR)
 	@print Creating swap file: `basename $(SWAP_FILE)`
 	dd if=/dev/zero of=$(SWAP_FILE) bs=1M count=$(SWAP_SIZE)
@@ -178,8 +183,11 @@ $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/repos.conf: $(foreach repo,$(REPO_NAMES),$(REPO_DIR)/$(rep
 	)
 	touch $@
 
+$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/01default: appliances/default/package.% $(STAGE3)
+	mkdir -p `dirname $@`
+	cp $< $@
 
-$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/01$(APPLIANCE): appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.% $(STAGE3)
+$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/02$(APPLIANCE): appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.% $(STAGE3)
 	mkdir -p `dirname $@`
 	cp $< $@
 
@@ -187,8 +195,8 @@ $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/01$(APPLIANCE): appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.
 $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/make.conf: configs/make.conf.$(VA_ARCH)
 	COPY configs/make.conf.$(VA_ARCH) /etc/portage/make.conf
 
-$(portage_make_conf_local): $(appliance_make_conf)
-	COPY $< /etc/portage/make.conf.local || touch $@
+$(portage_make_conf_local): $(default_make_conf) $(appliance_make_conf)
+	cat $< >> $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/make.conf.local || touch $@
 
 $(CHROOT)/var/tmp/profile: $(STAGE3)
 	RUN eselect profile set $(appliance_profile)
@@ -197,7 +205,7 @@ $(CHROOT)/var/tmp/profile: $(STAGE3)
 $(CHROOT)/etc/locale.gen: configs/locale.gen
 	COPY configs/locale.gen /etc/locale.gen
 
-$(COMPILE_OPTIONS): $(STAGE3) $(PORTAGE_DIR) $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/make.conf configs/locale.gen $(portage_package_files) $(portage_make_conf_local) $(CHROOT)/var/tmp/profile $(CHROOT)/etc/locale.gen $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/repos.conf
+$(COMPILE_OPTIONS): $(STAGE3) $(PORTAGE_DIR) $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/make.conf configs/locale.gen $(portage_default_package_files) $(portage_package_files) $(portage_make_conf_local) $(CHROOT)/var/tmp/profile $(CHROOT)/etc/locale.gen $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/repos.conf
 	RUN locale-gen
 	touch $(COMPILE_OPTIONS)
 
@@ -254,9 +262,15 @@ software: $(SOFTWARE)
 
 $(SOFTWARE): $(SYSTOOLS) configs/eth.network configs/issue $(COMPILE_OPTIONS) $(WORLD)
 	@print Building $(APPLIANCE)-specific software
+	if test -f appliances/default/Makefile;  \
+		then $(MAKE) -C appliances/default preinstall; \
+	fi
 	$(MAKE) -C appliances/$(APPLIANCE) preinstall
 	
-	COPY $(WORLD) /var/lib/portage/world
+	if test -f $(WORLD_DEFAULT);  \
+		then COPY $(WORLD_DEFAULT) /var/lib/portage/world; \
+	fi
+	cat $(WORLD) >> $(CHROOT)/var/lib/portage/world
 	RUN $(EMERGE) $(USEPKG) --update --newuse --deep @system
 	
 	@print Running @preserved-rebuild
@@ -275,6 +289,9 @@ endif
 ifeq ($(DASH),YES)
 	RUN $(EMERGE) --depclean app-shells/bash
 endif
+	if test -f appliances/default/Makefile;  \
+		then $(MAKE) -C appliances/default postinstall; \
+	fi
 	$(MAKE) -C appliances/$(APPLIANCE) postinstall
 ifneq ($(PKGLIST),0)
 	echo \# > $(LST_FILE)