diff --git a/scullery.py b/scullery.py
index f085ad0..bbbbfb5 100755
--- a/scullery.py
+++ b/scullery.py
@@ -42,24 +42,33 @@ def _abort(msg):
     sys.exit(1)
 
 def _config():
-    configmap = {'box': {}, 'suites': {}}
+    configmap = {'boxes': {}, 'suites': {}}
     if not config.options('box'):
         _abort('No "box" section found in the configuration file')
-    for option in config.options('box'):
-        configmap['box'][option] = config.get('box', option)
+    boxes = [section for section in config.sections() if section.startswith('box.')]
     suites = [section for section in config.sections() if section.startswith('suite.')]
     if not len(suites):
         _abort('No suites configured')
     log.debug('Suites: {}'.format(str(suites)))
-    for section in suites:
-        suite = section.replace('suite.', '')
-        configmap['suites'][suite] = {}
-        for option in config.options(section):
-            if option in ['masters', 'minions']:
-                value = config.getint(section, option)
-            else:
-                value = config.get(section, option)
-            configmap['suites'][suite][option] = value
+    multis = {'boxes': {'conf': boxes, 'prefix': 'box.'}, 'suites': {'conf': suites, 'prefix': 'suite.'}}
+    for multi, multiconf in multis.items():
+        for section in multiconf['conf']:
+            collection = section.replace(multiconf['prefix'], '')
+            configmap[multi][collection] = {}
+            for option in config.options(section):
+                if option in ['masters', 'minions']:
+                    value = config.getint(section, option)
+                else:
+                    value = config.get(section, option)
+                configmap[multi][collection][option] = value
+    # a bit of an ugly alternative to the "DEFAULT" section
+    multis = {'boxes': {'singular': 'box'}, 'suites': {'singular': 'suite'}}
+    for multis, multiconf in multis.items():
+        multi = multiconf['singular']
+        if multi in config.sections():
+            for option in config.options(multi):
+                for collection in configmap[multis]:
+                    configmap[multis][collection][option] = config.get(multi, option)
     log.debug('Config map: {}'.format(str(configmap)))
     return configmap
 
@@ -112,18 +121,24 @@ def vagrant_isup(suite):
 
 def main_interactive():
     configmap = _config()
-    box = configmap['box']
-    box_name = box.get('name', None)
-    box_image = box.get('image', None)
-    box_file = box.get('file', '{}/Vagrantfile-Template'.format(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))))
-    if None in [box_name, box_image, box_file]:
-        _abort('Box configuration is incomplete')
-    box_bootstrap = box.get('bootstrap', None)
+    boxes = configmap['boxes']
     suites = configmap['suites']
     suite = args.suite
     if suite not in suites:
         _abort('No suite named {}'.format(suite))
     suiteconf = configmap['suites'][suite]
+    box = suiteconf.get('box', None)
+    if box is None:
+        _abort('Specified suite does not reference a box')
+    boxconf = configmap['boxes'].get(box, None)
+    if boxconf is None:
+        _abort('Suite referencs an undefined box')
+    box_name = boxconf.get('name', None)
+    box_image = boxconf.get('image', None)
+    box_file = boxconf.get('file', '{}/Vagrantfile-Template'.format(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))))
+    if None in [box_name, box_image, box_file]:
+        _abort('Box configuration is incomplete')
+    box_bootstrap = boxconf.get('bootstrap', None)
     minions = None
     masters = None
     if suiteconf.get('minions', 0) > 0: