diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ab67048..33c66c1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@
 /tramp
 /dape-breakpoints
 flycheck_init.el
+local-init.el*
diff --git a/init.el b/init.el
index e0792ae..c575292 100644
--- a/init.el
+++ b/init.el
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@
 
 ;; no-littering
 (use-package no-littering
-  :autoload (no-littering-theme-backups
-             no-littering-expand-etc-file-name)
+  :defer nil
   :init
   (no-littering-theme-backups)
   (setq custom-file (no-littering-expand-etc-file-name "custom.el")))
@@ -41,6 +40,9 @@
 ;; load things saved with custom
 (load custom-file t t)
 
+;; Load the local system's configuration
+(load (expand-file-name "local-init" user-emacs-directory) t t)
+
 ;; diminish
 (use-package diminish
   :config