diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9d026e8c..80b28be1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 master
 ===
 
+* Add the option of naming `config.rb` as `middleman.rb`.
 * Builder extracted from Thor. `after_build` hook now passes an instance of a Builder instead of the Thor CLI.
 * New FileWatcher API.
 * Remove the `partials_dir` setting. Partials should live next to content, or be addressed with absolute paths.
diff --git a/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/init.rb b/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/init.rb
index 3efdd11e..0bae42de 100644
--- a/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/init.rb
+++ b/middleman-cli/lib/middleman-cli/init.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ module Middleman::Cli
     def init(target='.')
       require 'tmpdir'
 
-      repo = if shortname?(options[:template])
+      repo_path, repo_branch = if shortname?(options[:template])
         require 'open-uri'
         require 'json'
 
@@ -35,17 +35,21 @@ module Middleman::Cli
         begin
           data = ::JSON.parse(uri.read)
           data['links']['github']
+          data['links']['github'].split('#')
         rescue ::OpenURI::HTTPError
           puts "Template `#{options[:template]}` not found in Middleman Directory."
           puts 'Did you mean to use a full `user/repo` path?'
           exit
         end
       else
-        repository_path(options[:template])
+        repo_name, repo_branch = options[:template].split('#')
+        [repository_path(repo_name), repo_branch]
       end
 
       Dir.mktmpdir do |dir|
-        run("git clone #{repo} #{dir}")
+        cmd = repo_branch ? "clone -b #{repo_branch}" : 'clone'
+
+        run("git #{cmd} #{repo_path} #{dir}")
 
         source_paths << dir
 
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb
index eefc5dca..d1db0fd2 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb
@@ -256,10 +256,17 @@ module Middleman
 
     def evaluate_configuration
       # Check for and evaluate local configuration in `config.rb`
-      local_config = File.join(root, 'config.rb')
-      if File.exist? local_config
-        logger.debug '== Reading: Local config'
-        config_context.instance_eval File.read(local_config), local_config, 1
+      config_rb = File.join(root, 'config.rb')
+      if File.exist? config_rb
+        logger.debug '== Reading: Local config: config.rb'
+        config_context.instance_eval File.read(config_rb), config_rb, 1
+      else
+        # Check for and evaluate local configuration in `middleman.rb`
+        middleman_rb = File.join(root, 'middleman.rb')
+        if File.exist? middleman_rb
+          logger.debug '== Reading: Local middleman: middleman.rb'
+          config_context.instance_eval File.read(middleman_rb), middleman_rb, 1
+        end
       end
 
       env_config = File.join(root, 'environments', "#{config[:environment]}.rb")