diff --git a/core/core-packages.el b/core/core-packages.el
index 2aef06503..9db7c87ee 100644
--- a/core/core-packages.el
+++ b/core/core-packages.el
@@ -286,11 +286,16 @@ byte-compilation."
      (setq doom-modules ',doom-modules)
 
      (unless noninteractive
-       (load "~/.emacs.local.el" t t)
+       ,(let ((private-init (doom-module-path :private user-login-name "init")))
+          (when (file-exists-p (concat private-init ".el"))
+            `(load ,private-init t t)))
 
        ,@(let (forms)
-           (dolist (module (doom--module-pairs) (nreverse forms))
-             (push `(require! ,(car module) ,(cdr module) t) forms)))
+           (dolist (module (doom--module-pairs))
+             (push `(require! ,(car module) ,(cdr module) t) forms))
+           (unless (doom-module-loaded-p :private (intern user-login-name))
+             (push `(require! :private ,user-login-name t) forms))
+           (nreverse forms))
 
        (when (display-graphic-p)
          (require 'server)
diff --git a/init.example.el b/init.example.el
index 028020ef5..a3ecff510 100644
--- a/init.example.el
+++ b/init.example.el
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@
        twitter         ; twitter client https://twitter.com/vnought
        write           ; emacs as a word processor (latex + org + markdown)
 
-       ;; Private modules aren't tracked in source control (except for mine).
-       ;; Use it as a reference for your own.
+       ;; Private modules named after your username are loaded automatically.
+       ;; Leaving this here is harmless though. Also, they are omitted from
+       ;; source control (except for mine; use it as a reference).
        :private hlissner)
 
diff --git a/modules/private/hlissner/init.el b/modules/private/hlissner/init.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f93d02361
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/private/hlissner/init.el
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+;;; private/hlissner/init.el
+
+;; This is a special file, unique to private modules, that is loaded after DOOM
+;; core but before any module is activated, giving you an opportunity to
+;; overwrite variables or settings before initialization.
+
+;; host-specific settings
+(load "~/.emacs.local.el" t t)
+
+(setq user-mail-address "henrik@lissner.net"
+      user-full-name    "Henrik Lissner")
+
+(pcase system-name
+  ("proteus"
+   (setq +doom-modeline-height 25
+         +doom-font (font-spec :family "Fira Mono" :size 10)
+         +doom-variable-pitch-font (font-spec :family "Fira Sans" :size 10)
+         +doom-unicode-font (font-spec :family "DejaVu Sans Mono" :size 10)
+         nlinum-format "%3d "))
+  ("halimede"
+   (setq +doom-modeline-height 27)))