diff --git a/docs/manifest-format.txt b/docs/manifest-format.txt
index 5378965..9f4585b 100644
--- a/docs/manifest-format.txt
+++ b/docs/manifest-format.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@
     <!ELEMENT repo-hooks (EMPTY)>
     <!ATTLIST repo-hooks in-project CDATA #REQUIRED>
     <!ATTLIST repo-hooks enabled-list CDATA #REQUIRED>
+
+    <!ELEMENT include      (EMPTY)>
+    <!ATTLIST include name CDATA #REQUIRED>
   ]>
 
 A description of the elements and their attributes follows.
@@ -192,6 +195,16 @@
 the user can remove a project, and possibly replace it with their
 own definition.
 
+Element include
+---------------
+
+This element provides the capability of including another manifest
+file into the originating manifest.  Normal rules apply for the
+target manifest to include- it must be a usable manifest on it's own.
+
+Attribute `name`; the manifest to include, specified relative to
+the manifest repositories root.
+
 
 Local Manifest
 ==============
diff --git a/manifest_xml.py b/manifest_xml.py
index ca65e33..2927fd1 100644
--- a/manifest_xml.py
+++ b/manifest_xml.py
@@ -298,18 +298,41 @@
 
       self._loaded = True
 
-  def _ParseManifest(self, is_root_file):
-    root = xml.dom.minidom.parse(self.manifestFile)
+  def _ParseManifestObject(self, path):
+    root = xml.dom.minidom.parse(path)
     if not root or not root.childNodes:
-      raise ManifestParseError(
-          "no root node in %s" %
-          self.manifestFile)
+      raise ManifestParseError("no root node in %s" % (path,))
 
     config = root.childNodes[0]
     if config.nodeName != 'manifest':
-      raise ManifestParseError(
-          "no <manifest> in %s" %
-          self.manifestFile)
+      raise ManifestParseError("no <manifest> in %s" % (path,))
+
+    return config
+
+  def _ParseManifest(self, is_root_file):
+    config = self._ParseManifestObject(self.manifestFile)
+
+    for node in config.childNodes:
+        if node.nodeName == 'include':
+            name = self._reqatt(node, 'name')
+            fp = os.path.join(self.manifestProject.worktree, name)
+            if not os.path.isfile(fp):
+                raise ManifestParseError, \
+                    "include %s doesn't exist or isn't a file" % \
+                    (name,)
+            try:
+                subconfig = self._ParseManifestObject(fp)
+            # should isolate this to the exact exception, but that's
+            # tricky.  actual parsing implementation may vary.
+            except (KeyboardInterrupt, RuntimeError, SystemExit):
+                raise
+            except Exception, e:
+                raise ManifestParseError(
+                    "failed parsing included manifest %s: %s", (name, e))
+
+            for sub_node in subconfig.childNodes:
+                config.appendChild(sub_node.cloneNode(True))
+
 
     for node in config.childNodes:
       if node.nodeName == 'remove-project':