diff --git a/lib/nconf/provider.js b/lib/nconf/provider.js
index 56246e3..75480e3 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/provider.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/provider.js
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
  *
  */
 
-var stores = require('./stores');
+var optimist = require('optimist'),
+    stores = require('./stores');
 
 //
 // ### function Provider (options)
@@ -14,7 +15,10 @@ var stores = require('./stores');
 // for exposing the pluggable storage features of `nconf`.
 //
 var Provider = exports.Provider = function (options) {
-  options = options || {};
+  options        = options           || {};
+  this.overrides = options.overrides || null
+  this.useArgv   = options.useArgv   || false;
+
   this.store = stores.create(options.type || 'memory', options);
 };
 
@@ -50,6 +54,14 @@ Provider.prototype.use = function (type, options) {
 // Retrieves the value for the specified key (if any).
 //
 Provider.prototype.get = function (key, callback) {
+  if (this.overrides && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(this.overrides, key)) {
+    if (callback) {
+      callback(null, this.overrides[key]);
+    }
+    
+    return this.overrides[key];
+  }
+  
   return this.store.get(key, callback);
 };
 
@@ -154,4 +166,23 @@ Provider.prototype.save = function (value, callback) {
 //
 Provider.prototype.reset = function (callback) {
   return this.store.reset(callback);
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
+
+//
+// ### getter @useArgv {boolean}
+// Gets a property indicating if we should wrap calls to `.get` 
+// by checking `optimist.argv`.
+//
+Provider.prototype.__defineGetter__('useArgv', function () {
+  return this._useArgv;
+});
+
+//
+// ### setter @useArgv {boolean}
+// Sets a property indicating if we should wrap calls to `.get` 
+// by checking `optimist.argv`.
+//
+Provider.prototype.__defineSetter__('useArgv', function (val) {
+  this._useArgv  = val            || false;
+  this.overrides = this.overrides || optimist.argv;
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/nconf/stores/file.js b/lib/nconf/stores/file.js
index d8b5615..913a26e 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/stores/file.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/stores/file.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var File = exports.File = function (options) {
 
   this.type   = 'file';
   this.file   = options.file;
-  this.search = options.search || false;
+  this.dir    = options.dir    || process.cwd();
   this.format = options.format || {
     stringify: function (obj) {
       return JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2)
@@ -144,21 +144,26 @@ File.prototype.loadSync = function () {
 };
 
 //
-// ### function resolve (base)
+// ### function search (base)
 // #### @base {string} Base directory (or file) to begin searching for the target file.
+// Attempts to find `this.file` by iteratively searching up the 
+// directory structure 
 //
-File.prototype.resolve = function (base) {
-  var looking = this.search,
+File.prototype.search = function (base) {
+  var looking = true,
       fullpath,
+      previous,
       stats;
 
+  base = base || process.cwd();
+
   if (this.file[0] === '/') {
     //
     // If filename for this instance is a fully qualified path
     // (i.e. it starts with a `'/'`) then check if it exists
     //
     try {
-      stats = fs.statSync(fs.realpathSync(fullpath));
+      stats = fs.statSync(fs.realpathSync(this.file));
       if (stats.isFile()) {
         fullpath = this.file;
         looking = false;
@@ -186,26 +191,32 @@ File.prototype.resolve = function (base) {
   }
   
   while (looking) {
+    //
+    // Iteratively look up the directory structure from `base`
+    //
     try {
       stats = fs.statSync(fs.realpathSync(fullpath = path.join(base, this.file)));
       looking = stats.isDirectory();
     }
     catch (ex) {
-      var olddir = dir;
-      dir = path.dirname(dir);
+      previous = base;
+      base = path.dirname(base);
 
-      if (olddir === dir) {
+      if (previous === base) {
+        //
+        // If we've reached the top of the directory structure then simply use
+        // the default file path.
+        //
         try {
-          var stat = fs.statSync(fs.realpathSync(configPath = path.join(process.env.HOME, filename)));
-          if(stat.isDirectory()) {
-            configPath = undefined;
+          stats = fs.statSync(fs.realpathSync(fullpath = path.join(this.dir, this.file)));
+          if (stats.isDirectory()) {
+            fullpath = undefined;
           }
         }
         catch (ex) {
           //
           // Ignore errors
           //
-          configPath = undefined;
         }
         
         looking = false;
@@ -213,5 +224,12 @@ File.prototype.resolve = function (base) {
     }
   }
 
+  //
+  // Set the file for this instance to the fullpath
+  // that we have found during the search. In the event that
+  // the search was unsuccessful use the original value for `this.file`.
+  //
+  this.file = fullpath || this.file;
+  
   return fullpath;
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3a1061b..7a7c523 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   "keywords": ["configuration", "key value store", "plugabble"],
   "dependencies": {
     "async": "0.1.x",
+    "optimist": "0.2.x",
     "pkginfo": "0.2.x"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/test/file-store-test.js b/test/file-store-test.js
index 6f7d1b5..f4a675c 100644
--- a/test/file-store-test.js
+++ b/test/file-store-test.js
@@ -101,4 +101,36 @@ vows.describe('nconf/stores/file').addBatch({
       }
     }
   }
+}).addBatch({
+  "When using the nconf file store": {
+    "the search() method": {
+      "when the target file exists higher in the directory tree": {
+        topic: function () {
+          var filePath = this.filePath = path.join(process.env.HOME, '.nconf');
+          fs.writeFileSync(filePath, JSON.stringify(data, null, 2));
+          return new (nconf.stores.File)({
+            file: '.nconf'
+          })
+        },
+        "should update the file appropriately": function (store) {
+          store.search();
+          assert.equal(store.file, this.filePath);
+          fs.unlinkSync(this.filePath);
+        }
+      },
+      "when the target file doesn't exist higher in the directory tree": {
+        topic: function () {
+          var filePath = this.filePath = path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'search-store.json');
+          return new (nconf.stores.File)({
+            dir: path.dirname(filePath),
+            file: 'search-store.json'
+          })
+        },
+        "should update the file appropriately": function (store) {
+          store.search();
+          assert.equal(store.file, this.filePath);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }).export(module);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/scripts/default-override.js b/test/fixtures/scripts/default-override.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3e793c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/scripts/default-override.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+/*
+ * nconf-override.js: Test fixture for using optimist defaults with nconf.
+ *
+ * (C) 2011, Charlie Robbins
+ *
+ */
+ 
+var nconf = require('../../../lib/nconf');
+
+nconf.useArgv = true;
+process.stdout.write(nconf.get('something'));
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/scripts/nconf-override.js b/test/fixtures/scripts/nconf-override.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..185046a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/scripts/nconf-override.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/*
+ * nconf-override.js: Test fixture for using optimist defaults with nconf.
+ *
+ * (C) 2011, Charlie Robbins
+ *
+ */
+ 
+var nconf = require('../../../lib/nconf');
+
+var provider = new (nconf.Provider)({ useArgv: true });
+
+process.stdout.write(provider.get('something'));
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/provider-test.js b/test/provider-test.js
index 356945b..4c32c51 100644
--- a/test/provider-test.js
+++ b/test/provider-test.js
@@ -5,28 +5,47 @@
  *
  */
 
-var fs = require('fs'),
+var assert = require('assert'),
+    fs = require('fs'),
     path = require('path'),
+    spawn = require('child_process').spawn,
     vows = require('vows'),
-    assert = require('assert'),
     nconf = require('../lib/nconf')
 
 var first = '/path/to/file1',
     second = '/path/to/file2';
 
+function assertDefaults (script) {
+  return {
+    topic: function () {
+      spawn('node', [script, '--something', 'foobar'])
+        .stdout.once('data', this.callback.bind(this, null));
+    },
+    "should respond with the value passed into the script": function (_, data) {
+      assert.equal(data.toString(), 'foobar');
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 vows.describe('nconf/provider').addBatch({
-  "When using an instance of nconf.Provier": {
-    "calling the use() method with the same store type and different options": {
-      topic: new nconf.Provider().use('file', { file: first }),
-      "should use a new instance of the store type": function (provider) {
-        var old = provider.store;
+  "When using nconf": {
+    "an instance of 'nconf.Provider'": {
+      "calling the use() method with the same store type and different options": {
+        topic: new nconf.Provider().use('file', { file: first }),
+        "should use a new instance of the store type": function (provider) {
+          var old = provider.store;
 
-        assert.equal(provider.store.file, first);
-        provider.use('file', { file: second });
+          assert.equal(provider.store.file, first);
+          provider.use('file', { file: second });
 
-        assert.notStrictEqual(old, provider.store);
-        assert.equal(provider.store.file, second);
-      }
+          assert.notStrictEqual(old, provider.store);
+          assert.equal(provider.store.file, second);
+        }
+      },
+      "when 'useArgv' is true": assertDefaults(path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'scripts', 'nconf-override.js'))
+    },
+    "the default nconf provider": {
+      "when 'useArgv' is true": assertDefaults(path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'scripts', 'default-override.js'))
     }
   }
 }).export(module);
\ No newline at end of file