diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce880ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+elisp/private.el filter=git-crypt diff=git-crypt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 24a1e8d..7775240 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,4 +5,3 @@
 /tree-sitter/
 /tramp
 /dape-breakpoints
-/private.el
diff --git a/elisp/private.el b/elisp/private.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1257f27
Binary files /dev/null and b/elisp/private.el differ
diff --git a/init.el b/init.el
index cbda448..6e50c15 100644
--- a/init.el
+++ b/init.el
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@
   (diminish 'visual-line-mode)
   (diminish 'abbrev-mode))
 
+;; Private config loading
+(require 'private nil t)
+(defun my/get-private (key)
+  "Get the private config variable KEY from the private configuration file."
+  (alist-get key my/private-config))
+
 ;; basic stuff
 (use-package emacs
   :hook (;(emacs-lisp-mode . my/-emacs-lisp-mode-setup-evil-lookup)
@@ -1279,7 +1285,6 @@ If no name is given, list all bookmarks instead."
 (require 'khard)
 
 ;; mu4e
-(load (expand-file-name "private.el" user-emacs-directory) t)
 (use-package mu4e
   :ensure nil
   :defer nil
@@ -1322,8 +1327,8 @@ If no name is given, list all bookmarks instead."
                             (string-match-p "^/protonmail/"
                                             (mu4e-message-field msg
                                                                 :maildir))))
-            :vars `((user-mail-address . ,(alist-get 'email my/mu4e-private-config))
-                    (user-full-name . ,(alist-get 'name my/mu4e-private-config))
+            :vars `((user-mail-address . ,(my/get-private 'mu4e-email))
+                    (user-full-name . ,(my/get-private 'mu4e-name))
                     (message-signature . nil)
                     (mu4e-refile-folder . "/protonmail/Archive")
                     (mu4e-sent-folder . "/protonmail/Sent")