diff --git a/lib/settingslogic.rb b/lib/settingslogic.rb
index a99acaf..015f0dc 100644
--- a/lib/settingslogic.rb
+++ b/lib/settingslogic.rb
@@ -92,24 +92,38 @@ def create_accessor_for(key)
   # if you are using this in rails. If you pass a string it should be an absolute path to your settings file.
   # Then you can pass a hash, and it just allows you to access the hash via methods.
   def initialize(hash_or_file = self.class.source, section = nil)
-    #puts "new! #{hash_or_file}"
+    puts "new! #{hash_or_file}"
     case hash_or_file
     when nil
       raise Errno::ENOENT, "No file specified as Settingslogic source"
     when Hash
+      puts "hash! #{hash_or_file}"
       self.replace hash_or_file
     else
-      file_contents = open(hash_or_file).read
-      hash = file_contents.empty? ? {} : YAML.load(ERB.new(file_contents).result).to_hash
-      if self.class.namespace
-        hash = hash[self.class.namespace] or return missing_key("Missing setting '#{self.class.namespace}' in #{hash_or_file}")
+      hash_or_files = hash_or_file.is_a?(Array) ? hash_or_file : [hash_or_file]
+      _hash = {}
+      hash_or_files.each do |file|
+        file_contents = open(file).read
+        hash = file_contents.empty? ? {} : initialize_yml(file_contents) #YAML.load(ERB.new(file_contents).result).to_hash
+        if self.class.namespace
+          hash = hash[self.class.namespace] or return missing_key("Missing setting '#{self.class.namespace}' in #{file}")
+        end
+        _hash.merge!(hash)
       end
-      self.replace hash
+      self.replace _hash
     end
-    @section = section || self.class.source  # so end of error says "in application.yml"
+    @section = section || (self.class.source.is_a?(Array) ? self.class.source.join(',') : self.class.source)  # so end of error says "in application.yml"
     create_accessors!
   end
 
+  def initialize_yml(content)
+    begin
+      YAML.load(ERB.new(content).result, aliases: true).to_hash
+    rescue ArgumentError
+      YAML.load(ERB.new(content).result).to_hash
+    end
+  end
+
   # Called for dynamically-defined keys, and also the first key deferenced at the top-level, if load! is not used.
   # Otherwise, create_accessors! (called by new) will have created actual methods for each key.
   def method_missing(name, *args, &block)
diff --git a/spec/settings.rb b/spec/settings.rb
index 8c5be68..c08f15e 100644
--- a/spec/settings.rb
+++ b/spec/settings.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 class Settings < Settingslogic
-  source "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/settings.yml"
+  source ["#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/settings.yml","#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/settings2.yml"]
 end
 
 class SettingsInst < Settingslogic
diff --git a/spec/settings2.yml b/spec/settings2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffa8fd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/settings2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+setting2: 8
diff --git a/spec/settingslogic_spec.rb b/spec/settingslogic_spec.rb
index 34e4798..17d736d 100644
--- a/spec/settingslogic_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/settingslogic_spec.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 describe "Settingslogic" do
   it "should access settings" do
-    Settings.setting2.should == 5
+    Settings.setting2.should == 8
   end
   
   it "should access nested settings" do