diff --git a/lib/nconf.js b/lib/nconf.js
index 34daed5..f00e966 100644
--- a/lib/nconf.js
+++ b/lib/nconf.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 var fs = require('fs'),
     async = require('async'),
+    common = require('./nconf/common'),
     Provider = require('./nconf/provider').Provider,
     nconf = module.exports = Object.create(Provider.prototype);
 
@@ -37,40 +38,10 @@ nconf.key = function () {
   return Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments).join(':');
 };
 
-//
-// ### function loadFiles (files)
-// #### @files {Array} List of files to load.
-// Loads all the data in the specified `files`.
-//
-nconf.loadFiles = function (files, callback) {
-  if (!files) {
-    return callback(null, {});
-  }
-
-  var allData = {};
-
-  function loadFile (file, next) {
-    fs.readFile(file, function (err, data) {
-      if (err) {
-        return next(err);
-      }
-
-      data = JSON.parse(data.toString());
-      Object.keys(data).forEach(function (key) {
-        allData[key] = data[key];
-      });
-
-      next();
-    });
-  }
-
-  async.forEach(files, loadFile, function (err) {
-    return err ? callback(err) : callback(null, allData);
-  });
-};
-
 //
 // Expose the various components included with nconf
 //
-nconf.stores   = require('./nconf/stores');
-nconf.Provider = Provider;
\ No newline at end of file
+nconf.loadFiles = common.loadFiles;
+nconf.formats   = require('./nconf/formats');
+nconf.stores    = require('./nconf/stores');
+nconf.Provider  = Provider;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/nconf/common.js b/lib/nconf/common.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ba183a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/nconf/common.js
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/*
+ * utils.js: Utility functions for the nconf module.
+ *
+ * (C) 2011, Charlie Robbins
+ *
+ */
+ 
+var fs = require('fs'),
+    async = require('async'),
+    formats = require('./formats'),
+    stores = require('./stores');
+
+var common = exports;
+
+//
+// ### function loadFiles (files)
+// #### @files {Object|Array} List of files (or settings object) to load.
+// #### @callback {function} Continuation to respond to when complete.
+// Loads all the data in the specified `files`.
+//
+common.loadFiles = function (files, callback) {
+  if (!files) {
+    return callback(null, {});
+  }
+
+  var options = Array.isArray(files) ? { files: files } : files,
+      store = new stores.Memory();
+
+  //
+  // Set the default JSON format if not already
+  // specified
+  //
+  options.format = options.format || formats.json;
+
+  function loadFile (file, next) {
+    fs.readFile(file, function (err, data) {
+      if (err) {
+        return next(err);
+      }
+
+      data = options.format.parse(data.toString());
+      Object.keys(data).forEach(function (key) {
+        store.merge(key, data[key]);
+      });
+
+      next();
+    });
+  }
+
+  async.forEach(files, loadFile, function (err) {
+    return err ? callback(err) : callback(null, store.store);
+  });
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/nconf/formats.js b/lib/nconf/formats.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..465abe3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/nconf/formats.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * formats.js: Default formats supported by nconf
+ *
+ * (C) 2011, Charlie Robbins
+ *
+ */
+
+var ini = require('ini');
+
+var formats = exports;
+
+//
+// ### @json
+// Standard JSON format which pretty prints `.stringify()`.
+//
+formats.json = {
+  stringify: function (obj) {
+    return JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2)
+  },
+  parse: JSON.parse
+};
+
+//
+// ### @ini
+// Standard INI format supplied from the `ini` module
+// http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INI_file
+//
+formats.ini = ini;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/nconf/provider.js b/lib/nconf/provider.js
index 75480e3..b58c782 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/provider.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/provider.js
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
  *
  */
 
-var optimist = require('optimist'),
+var async = require('async'),
+    optimist = require('optimist'),
+    common = require('./common'),
     stores = require('./stores');
 
 //
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ Provider.prototype.get = function (key, callback) {
     return this.overrides[key];
   }
   
-  return this.store.get(key, callback);
+  return this._execute('get', 1, key, callback);
 };
 
 //
@@ -73,19 +75,56 @@ Provider.prototype.get = function (key, callback) {
 // Sets the `value` for the specified `key` in this instance.
 //
 Provider.prototype.set = function (key, value, callback) {
-  return this.store.set(key, value, callback);
+  return this._execute('set', 2, key, value, callback);
 };
 
 //
-// ### function merge (key, value)
+// ### function merge ([key,] value [, callback])
 // #### @key {string} Key to merge the value into
 // #### @value {literal|Object} Value to merge into the key
-// Merges the properties in `value` into the existing object value
-// at `key`. If the existing value `key` is not an Object, it will be
-// completely overwritten.
+// #### @callback {function} **Optional** Continuation to respond to when complete.
+// Merges the properties in `value` into the existing object value at `key`. 
 //
-Provider.prototype.merge = function (key, value, callback) {
-  return this.store.merge(key, value, callback);
+// 1. If the existing value `key` is not an Object, it will be completely overwritten.
+// 2. If `key` is not supplied, then the `value` will be merged into the root.
+//
+Provider.prototype.merge = function () {
+  var self = this,
+      args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments),
+      callback = typeof args[args.length - 1] === 'function' && args.pop(),
+      value = args.pop(),
+      key = args.pop();
+      
+  function mergeProperty (prop, next) {
+    return self._execute('merge', 2, prop, value[prop], next);
+  }
+      
+  if (!key) {
+    if (Array.isArray(value) || typeof value !== 'object') {
+      return onError(new Error('Cannot merge non-Object into top-level.'), callback);
+    }
+    
+    return async.forEach(Object.keys(value), mergeProperty, callback || function () { })
+  }
+  
+  return this._execute('merge', 2, key, value, callback);
+};
+
+//
+// ### function mergeFiles (files, callback)
+// #### @files {Object|Array} List of files (or settings object) to load.
+// #### @callback {function} Continuation to respond to when complete.
+// Merges all `key:value` pairs in the `files` supplied into the 
+// store that is managed by this provider instance.
+//
+Provider.prototype.mergeFiles = function (files, callback) {
+  var self = this;
+  
+  common.loadFiles(files, function (err, merged) {
+    return !err 
+      ? self.merge(merged, callback)
+      : onError(err);
+  });
 };
 
 //
@@ -95,7 +134,7 @@ Provider.prototype.merge = function (key, value, callback) {
 // Removes the value for the specified `key` from this instance.
 //
 Provider.prototype.clear = function (key, callback) {
-  return this.store.clear(key, callback);
+  return this._execute('clear', 1, key, callback);
 };
 
 //
@@ -113,16 +152,9 @@ Provider.prototype.load = function (callback) {
     return this.store.loadSync();
   }
   
-  if (!this.store.load) {
-    var error = new Error('nconf store ' + this.store.type + ' has no load() method');
-    if (callback) {
-      return callback (error);
-    }
-    
-    throw error;
-  }
-  
-  return this.store.load(callback);
+  return !this.store.load
+    ? onError(new Error('nconf store ' + this.store.type + ' has no load() method'), callback)
+    : this.store.load(callback);
 };
 
 //
@@ -147,16 +179,9 @@ Provider.prototype.save = function (value, callback) {
     }
   }
   
-  if (!this.store.save) {
-    var error = new Error('nconf store ' + this.store.type + ' has no save() method');
-    if (callback) {
-      return callback (error);
-    }
-    
-    throw error;
-  }
-  
-  return this.store.save(value, callback);
+  return !this.store.save 
+    ? onError(new Error('nconf store ' + this.store.type + ' has no save() method'), callback)
+    : this.store.save(value, callback);
 };
 
 //
@@ -165,9 +190,36 @@ Provider.prototype.save = function (value, callback) {
 // Clears all keys associated with this instance.
 //
 Provider.prototype.reset = function (callback) {
-  return this.store.reset(callback);
+  return this._execute('reset', 0, callback);  
 };
 
+//
+// ### @private function _execute (action, syncLength, [arguments])
+// #### @action {string} Action to execute on `this.store`.
+// #### @syncLength {number} Function length of the sync version.
+// #### @arguments {Array} Arguments array to apply to the action
+// Executes the specified `action` on `this.store`, ensuring a callback supplied
+// to a synchronous store function is still invoked.
+//
+Provider.prototype._execute = function (action, syncLength /* [arguments] */) {
+  var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 2),
+      callback,
+      response;
+      
+  if (this.store[action].length > syncLength) {
+    return this.store[action].apply(this.store, args);
+  }
+  
+  callback = typeof args[args.length - 1] === 'function' && args.pop();
+  response = this.store[action].apply(this.store, args);
+  
+  if (callback) {
+    callback(null, response);
+  }
+  
+  return response;
+}
+
 //
 // ### getter @useArgv {boolean}
 // Gets a property indicating if we should wrap calls to `.get` 
@@ -185,4 +237,15 @@ Provider.prototype.__defineGetter__('useArgv', function () {
 Provider.prototype.__defineSetter__('useArgv', function (val) {
   this._useArgv  = val            || false;
   this.overrides = this.overrides || optimist.argv;
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
+
+//
+// Throw the `err` if a callback is not supplied
+//
+function onError(err, callback) {
+  if (callback) {
+    return callback(err);
+  }
+  
+  throw err;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/nconf/stores/file.js b/lib/nconf/stores/file.js
index 913a26e..bd12f1d 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/stores/file.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/stores/file.js
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
  *
  */
 
-var fs     = require('fs'),
-    path   = require('path'),
-    util   = require('util'),
+var fs = require('fs'),
+    path = require('path'),
+    util = require('util'),
+    formats = require('../formats'),
     Memory = require('./memory').Memory;
  
 //
@@ -26,12 +27,7 @@ var File = exports.File = function (options) {
   this.type   = 'file';
   this.file   = options.file;
   this.dir    = options.dir    || process.cwd();
-  this.format = options.format || {
-    stringify: function (obj) {
-      return JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2)
-    },
-    parse: JSON.parse
-  };
+  this.format = options.format || formats.json;
 };
 
 // Inherit from the Memory store
diff --git a/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js b/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
index 2ef3f67..94e234e 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ Memory.prototype.merge = function (key, value) {
   
   //
   // If the current value at the key target is not an `Object`,
-  // of is an `Array` then simply override it because the new value
+  // or is an `Array` then simply override it because the new value
   // is an Object.
   //
   if (typeof target[key] !== 'object' || Array.isArray(target[key])) {
@@ -177,4 +177,4 @@ Memory.prototype.reset = function () {
   this.mtimes = {};
   this.store  = {};
   return true;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7a7c523..1794e31 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   "keywords": ["configuration", "key value store", "plugabble"],
   "dependencies": {
     "async": "0.1.x",
+    "ini": "1.x.x",
     "optimist": "0.2.x",
     "pkginfo": "0.2.x"
   },
diff --git a/test/fixtures/merge/file1.json b/test/fixtures/merge/file1.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5bf573
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/merge/file1.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "apples": true,
+  "bananas": true,
+  "candy": {
+    "something1": true,
+    "something2": true
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/merge/file2.json b/test/fixtures/merge/file2.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1214bf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/merge/file2.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "candy": {
+    "something3": true,
+    "something4": true
+  },
+  "dates": true,
+  "elderberries": true
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/provider-test.js b/test/provider-test.js
index 4c32c51..3f85837 100644
--- a/test/provider-test.js
+++ b/test/provider-test.js
@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     path = require('path'),
     spawn = require('child_process').spawn,
     vows = require('vows'),
-    nconf = require('../lib/nconf')
-
-var first = '/path/to/file1',
+    nconf = require('../lib/nconf');
+    
+var mergeFixtures = path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'merge'),
+    files = [path.join(mergeFixtures, 'file1.json'), path.join(mergeFixtures, 'file2.json')],
+    override = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(files[0]), 'utf8'),
+    first = '/path/to/file1',
     second = '/path/to/file2';
 
 function assertDefaults (script) {
@@ -27,6 +30,18 @@ function assertDefaults (script) {
   }
 }
 
+function assertMerged (provider) {
+  var store = provider.store.store;
+  assert.isTrue(store.apples);
+  assert.isTrue(store.bananas);
+  assert.isTrue(store.candy.something1);
+  assert.isTrue(store.candy.something2);
+  assert.isTrue(store.candy.something3);
+  assert.isTrue(store.candy.something4);
+  assert.isTrue(store.dates);
+  assert.isTrue(store.elderberries);
+}
+
 vows.describe('nconf/provider').addBatch({
   "When using nconf": {
     "an instance of 'nconf.Provider'": {
@@ -48,4 +63,26 @@ vows.describe('nconf/provider').addBatch({
       "when 'useArgv' is true": assertDefaults(path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'scripts', 'default-override.js'))
     }
   }
+}).addBatch({
+  "When using nconf": {
+    "an instance of 'nconf.Provider'": {
+      "the merge() method": {
+        topic: new nconf.Provider().use('file', { file: files[1] }),
+        "should have the result merged in": function (provider) {
+          provider.load();
+          provider.merge(override);
+          assertMerged(provider);
+        }
+      },
+      "the mergeFiles() method": {
+        topic: function () {
+          var provider = new nconf.Provider().use('memory');
+          provider.mergeFiles(files, this.callback.bind(this, null, provider))
+        },
+        "should have the result merged in": function (_, provider) {
+          assertMerged(provider);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }).export(module);
\ No newline at end of file