diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a0f825f03..3b868d209 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/config/additional_environment.rb
 /config/database.yml
 /config/email.yml
 /config/initializers/session_store.rb
diff --git a/config/additional_environment.rb.example b/config/additional_environment.rb.example
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c50c37631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/additional_environment.rb.example
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Copy this file to additional_environment.rb and add any statements
+# that need to be passed to the Rails::Initializer.  `config` is
+# available in this context.
+#
+# Example:
+#
+#   config.log_level = :debug
+#   config.gem "example_plugin", :lib => false
+#   config.gem "timesheet_plugin", :lib => false, :version => '0.5.0'
+#   config.gem "aws-s3", :lib => "aws/s3"
+#   ...
+#
+
diff --git a/config/environment.rb b/config/environment.rb
index d173db412..e6d42592f 100644
--- a/config/environment.rb
+++ b/config/environment.rb
@@ -49,4 +49,10 @@ Rails::Initializer.run do |config|
   # Define your email configuration in email.yml instead.
   # It will automatically turn deliveries on
   config.action_mailer.perform_deliveries = false
+
+  # Load any local configuration that is kept out of source control
+  # (e.g. gems, patches).
+  if File.exists?(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'additional_environment.rb'))
+    instance_eval File.read(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'additional_environment.rb'))
+  end
 end