diff --git a/lib/cucumber/cli/options.rb b/lib/cucumber/cli/options.rb
index b073c2cd8c..fdf4202080 100644
--- a/lib/cucumber/cli/options.rb
+++ b/lib/cucumber/cli/options.rb
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ def initialize(out_stream = STDOUT, error_stream = STDERR, options = {})
         @profiles = []
         @overridden_paths = []
         @options = default_options
+        @profile_loader = options[:profile_loader]
         @options[:skip_profile_information] = options[:skip_profile_information]
 
         @quiet = @disable_profile_loading = nil
@@ -350,15 +351,22 @@ def merge_profiles
         @profiles << @default_profile if default_profile_should_be_used?
 
         @profiles.each do |profile|
-          profile_args = profile_loader.args_from(profile)
-          reverse_merge(
-            Options.parse(profile_args, @out_stream, @error_stream, :skip_profile_information  => true)
-          )
+          merge_with_profile(profile)
         end
 
         @options[:profiles] = @profiles
       end
 
+      def merge_with_profile(profile)
+        profile_args = profile_loader.args_from(profile)
+        profile_options = Options.parse(
+          profile_args, @out_stream, @error_stream,
+          :skip_profile_information => true,
+          :profile_loader => profile_loader
+        )
+        reverse_merge(profile_options)
+      end
+
       def default_profile_should_be_used?
         @profiles.empty? &&
           profile_loader.cucumber_yml_defined? &&
diff --git a/spec/cucumber/cli/options_spec.rb b/spec/cucumber/cli/options_spec.rb
index 84f672506a..1c5e6c1a51 100644
--- a/spec/cucumber/cli/options_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cucumber/cli/options_spec.rb
@@ -208,6 +208,25 @@ def after_parsing(args)
           options[:formats].should == [['progress', output_stream], ['html', 'features.html']]
         end
 
+        it "only reads cucumber.yml once" do
+          original_parse_count = $cucumber_yml_read_count
+          $cucumber_yml_read_count = 0
+
+          begin
+            given_cucumber_yml_defined_as(<<-END
+            <% $cucumber_yml_read_count += 1 %>
+            default: --format pretty
+            END
+            )
+            options = Options.new(output_stream, error_stream, :default_profile => 'default')
+            options.parse!(%w(-f progress))
+
+            $cucumber_yml_read_count.should == 1
+          ensure
+            $cucumber_yml_read_count = original_parse_count
+          end
+        end
+
         it "respects --quiet when defined in the profile" do
           given_cucumber_yml_defined_as('foo' => '-q')
           options.parse!(%w[-p foo])