diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7201495..7e9c51a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ Each profile stores data in its own gitignored directory (`./data-work/`, `./dat
 
 `blueprint.json` controls what WordPress installs on first boot (plugins, theme, PHP version, site title). Edit it then run `./script/reset` to rebuild. Your notes are safe — the database lives in `./data/`, not in WP Playground's cache.
 
-### Per-user overrides
+### Per-profile overrides
 
-Create a gitignored `blueprint-local.json` to customise your local setup without affecting others. Top-level keys override the base; steps are appended.
+Create a `blueprint-local.json` inside a profile's data directory (`./data/blueprint-local.json`, `./data-work/blueprint-local.json`, etc.) to customise that profile's local setup without affecting others. Top-level keys override the base; `plugins` and `steps` arrays are concatenated.
 
 ```json
 {
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ Create a gitignored `blueprint-local.json` to customise your local setup without
 }
 ```
 
+The file is kept with the private notes repo, so overrides are naturally scoped to that profile and never touch this public repo.
+
 ## Scripts
 
 | Script | Purpose |
@@ -130,8 +132,8 @@ The public repo contains only infrastructure. The `data/` directory (and any `da
 ```plaintext
 .
 ├── blueprint.json           # WordPress Playground configuration (shared)
-├── blueprint-local.json     # Per-user overrides — gitignored, optional
 ├── data-*/                  # Your private repo(s) — gitignored
+│   └── blueprint-local.json # Per-profile overrides — optional, kept in private repo
 ├── package.json
 ├── schemas/
 │   └── blueprint.json       # JSON schema for blueprint files
diff --git a/script/merge-blueprints b/script/merge-blueprints
index 12eb808..2d29d21 100755
--- a/script/merge-blueprints
+++ b/script/merge-blueprints
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 // Merge blueprint.json with blueprint-local.json (if it exists).
 // - Top-level keys from blueprint-local.json override blueprint.json
-// - steps arrays are concatenated: base steps first, then local steps
+// - steps and plugins arrays are concatenated: base first, then local
 // Writes merged JSON to stdout.
 
 const fs = require('fs');
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ const path = require('path');
 
 const root = path.join(__dirname, '..');
 const base = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'blueprint.json'), 'utf8'));
-const localPath = path.join(root, 'blueprint-local.json');
+// Accept an explicit path as the first argument, falling back to the project root.
+const localPath = process.argv[2] || path.join(root, 'blueprint-local.json');
 
 if (!fs.existsSync(localPath)) {
   process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify(base, null, 2));
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ const local = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(localPath, 'utf8'));
 const merged = {
   ...base,
   ...local,
+  plugins: [...(base.plugins ?? []), ...(local.plugins ?? [])],
   steps: [...(base.steps ?? []), ...(local.steps ?? [])],
 };
 
diff --git a/script/save b/script/save
index 29dbe2f..085810d 100755
--- a/script/save
+++ b/script/save
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ echo "==> Saving snapshot: $TIMESTAMP"
 
 cd "$DATA_DIR"
 git add database/ uploads/
+git add blueprint-local.json
 # Only commit bespoke themes and plugins, not those loaded via the blueprint.json
 git add -u themes/ plugins/
 git diff --cached --quiet && echo "    No changes to save." && exit 0
diff --git a/script/start b/script/start
index df40f6c..3c50ebb 100755
--- a/script/start
+++ b/script/start
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ _on_interrupt() {
 
 trap '_cleanup' EXIT
 trap '_on_interrupt' INT
-node script/merge-blueprints > "$BLUEPRINT"
-if [ -f blueprint-local.json ]; then
-  echo "==> Merged blueprint.json + blueprint-local.json"
+node script/merge-blueprints "$DATA_DIR/blueprint-local.json" > "$BLUEPRINT"
+if [ -f "$DATA_DIR/blueprint-local.json" ]; then
+  echo "==> Merged blueprint.json + $DATA_DIR/blueprint-local.json"
   echo "==> Validating merged blueprint JSON against schema..."
   check-jsonschema --schemafile schemas/blueprint.json "$BLUEPRINT"
 fi