diff --git a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
index 23f8416c2a2f5b43d7df4fde9ee3a8b165617284..e26cb365961c5fca0a6a818d806b589ff4bfa4e1 100644
--- a/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/core/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -847,10 +847,11 @@ function drupal_get_filename($type, $name, $filename = NULL) {
   // drupal_static().
   static $files = array(), $dirs = array();
 
-  // Profiles are a special case: they have a fixed location and naming.
+  // Profiles are converted into modules in system_rebuild_module_data().
+  // @todo Remove false-exposure of profiles as modules.
+  $original_type = $type;
   if ($type == 'profile') {
-    $profile_filename = "profiles/$name/$name.profile";
-    $files[$type][$name] = file_exists($profile_filename) ? $profile_filename : FALSE;
+    $type = 'module';
   }
   if (!isset($files[$type])) {
     $files[$type] = array();
@@ -870,7 +871,7 @@ function drupal_get_filename($type, $name, $filename = NULL) {
     try {
       if (function_exists('db_query')) {
         $file = db_query("SELECT filename FROM {system} WHERE name = :name AND type = :type", array(':name' => $name, ':type' => $type))->fetchField();
-        if (file_exists(DRUPAL_ROOT . '/' . $file)) {
+        if ($file && file_exists(DRUPAL_ROOT . '/' . $file)) {
           $files[$type][$name] = $file;
         }
       }
@@ -892,6 +893,12 @@ function drupal_get_filename($type, $name, $filename = NULL) {
       elseif ($type == 'theme') {
         $extension = 'info';
       }
+      // Profiles are converted into modules in system_rebuild_module_data().
+      // @todo Remove false-exposure of profiles as modules.
+      elseif ($original_type == 'profile') {
+        $dir = 'profiles';
+        $extension = 'profile';
+      }
       else {
         $extension = $type;
       }
diff --git a/core/includes/common.inc b/core/includes/common.inc
index b354b040c10a014f61f4e0cc554b982d494fc248..17e1363a5c1fb775e0d1b6f4b286d40357d3242e 100644
--- a/core/includes/common.inc
+++ b/core/includes/common.inc
@@ -5168,7 +5168,6 @@ function drupal_system_listing($mask, $directory, $key = 'name', $min_depth = 1)
   // themes as provided by a distribution. It is pristine in the same way that
   // the 'core/modules' directory is pristine for core; users should avoid
   // any modification by using the sites/all or sites/<domain> directories.
-  $profiles = array();
   $profile = drupal_get_profile();
   // For SimpleTest to be able to test modules packaged together with a
   // distribution we need to include the profile of the parent site (in which
@@ -5176,17 +5175,16 @@ function drupal_system_listing($mask, $directory, $key = 'name', $min_depth = 1)
   if (drupal_valid_test_ua()) {
     $testing_profile = variable_get('simpletest_parent_profile', FALSE);
     if ($testing_profile && $testing_profile != $profile) {
-      $profiles[] = $testing_profile;
+      $searchdir[] = drupal_get_path('profile', $testing_profile) . '/' . $directory;
     }
   }
   // In case both profile directories contain the same extension, the actual
   // profile always has precedence.
-  $profiles[] = $profile;
-  foreach ($profiles as $profile) {
-    if (file_exists("profiles/$profile/$directory")) {
-      $searchdir[] = "profiles/$profile/$directory";
-    }
-  }
+  $searchdir[] = drupal_get_path('profile', $profile) . '/' . $directory;
+
+  // For the case of searching for profiles, scan top-level directories.
+  // @todo Replace entire sites/all/$directory with this.
+  $searchdir[] = $directory;
 
   // Always search sites/all/* as well as the global directories.
   $searchdir[] = 'sites/all/' . $directory;
diff --git a/core/includes/install.core.inc b/core/includes/install.core.inc
index 0481570efee4ab6f4d37f051915542657b3e0fae..369e868afa8563ffa88388c2dfd158e8f593a276 100644
--- a/core/includes/install.core.inc
+++ b/core/includes/install.core.inc
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ function install_begin_request(&$install_state) {
   $install_state['database_tables_exist'] = !empty($task);
 
   // Add the list of available profiles to the installation state.
-  $install_state['profiles'] += install_find_profiles();
+  $install_state['profiles'] += drupal_system_listing('/^' . DRUPAL_PHP_FUNCTION_PATTERN . '\.profile$/', 'profiles');
 }
 
 /**
@@ -619,7 +619,8 @@ function install_tasks($install_state) {
   if (!empty($install_state['parameters']['profile'])) {
     // Load the profile install file, because it is not always loaded when
     // hook_install_tasks() is invoked (e.g. batch processing).
-    $profile_install_file = DRUPAL_ROOT . '/profiles/' . $install_state['parameters']['profile'] . '/' . $install_state['parameters']['profile'] . '.install';
+    $profile = $install_state['parameters']['profile'];
+    $profile_install_file = dirname($install_state['profiles'][$profile]->uri) . '/' . $profile . '.install';
     if (file_exists($profile_install_file)) {
       include_once $profile_install_file;
     }
@@ -647,7 +648,8 @@ function install_tasks($install_state) {
 
   // Allow the installation profile to modify the full list of tasks.
   if (!empty($install_state['parameters']['profile'])) {
-    $profile_file = DRUPAL_ROOT . '/profiles/' . $install_state['parameters']['profile'] . '/' . $install_state['parameters']['profile'] . '.profile';
+    $profile = $install_state['parameters']['profile'];
+    $profile_file = $install_state['profiles'][$profile]->uri;
     if (file_exists($profile_file)) {
       include_once $profile_file;
       $function = $install_state['parameters']['profile'] . '_install_tasks_alter';
@@ -1057,13 +1059,6 @@ function install_settings_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $install_state['completed_task'] = install_verify_completed_task();
 }
 
-/**
- * Finds all .profile files.
- */
-function install_find_profiles() {
-  return file_scan_directory('./profiles', '/\.profile$/', array('key' => 'name'));
-}
-
 /**
  * Installation task; select which profile to install.
  *
@@ -1090,7 +1085,7 @@ function install_select_profile(&$install_state) {
       if ($install_state['interactive']) {
         include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/core/includes/form.inc';
         drupal_set_title(st('Select an installation profile'));
-        $form = drupal_get_form('install_select_profile_form', $install_state['profiles']);
+        $form = drupal_get_form('install_select_profile_form', $install_state);
         return drupal_render($form);
       }
       else {
@@ -1108,41 +1103,27 @@ function install_select_profile(&$install_state) {
  * list or from a selection passed in via $_POST.
  */
 function _install_select_profile($profiles) {
-  if (sizeof($profiles) == 0) {
-    throw new Exception(install_no_profile_error());
-  }
   // Don't need to choose profile if only one available.
-  if (sizeof($profiles) == 1) {
+  if (count($profiles) == 1) {
     $profile = array_pop($profiles);
-    // TODO: is this right?
-    require_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/' . $profile->uri;
     return $profile->name;
   }
-  else {
-    foreach ($profiles as $profile) {
-      if (!empty($_POST['profile']) && ($_POST['profile'] == $profile->name)) {
-        return $profile->name;
-      }
-    }
+  elseif (!empty($_POST['profile']) && isset($profiles[$_POST['profile']])) {
+    return $profiles[$_POST['profile']]->name;
   }
 }
 
 /**
  * Form API array definition for the profile selection form.
  *
- * @param $form_state
- *   Array of metadata about state of form processing.
- * @param $profile_files
- *   Array of .profile files, as returned from file_scan_directory().
+ * @param array $install_state
+ *   An array of information about the current installation state.
  */
-function install_select_profile_form($form, &$form_state, $profile_files) {
+function install_select_profile_form($form, &$form_state, $install_state) {
   $profiles = array();
   $names = array();
 
-  foreach ($profile_files as $profile) {
-    // TODO: is this right?
-    include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/' . $profile->uri;
-
+  foreach ($install_state['profiles'] as $profile) {
     $details = install_profile_info($profile->name);
     // Don't show hidden profiles. This is used by to hide the testing profile,
     // which only exists to speed up test runs.
@@ -1392,7 +1373,8 @@ function install_already_done_error() {
  *   the profile cannot be loaded.
  */
 function install_load_profile(&$install_state) {
-  $profile_file = DRUPAL_ROOT . '/profiles/' . $install_state['parameters']['profile'] . '/' . $install_state['parameters']['profile'] . '.profile';
+  $profile = $install_state['parameters']['profile'];
+  $profile_file = $install_state['profiles'][$profile]->uri;
   if (file_exists($profile_file)) {
     include_once $profile_file;
     $install_state['profile_info'] = install_profile_info($install_state['parameters']['profile'], $install_state['parameters']['langcode']);
@@ -1652,7 +1634,7 @@ function install_check_requirements($install_state) {
   $profile = $install_state['parameters']['profile'];
 
   // Check the profile requirements.
-  $requirements = drupal_check_profile($profile);
+  $requirements = drupal_check_profile($profile, $install_state);
 
   // If Drupal is not set up already, we need to create a settings file.
   if (!$install_state['settings_verified']) {
diff --git a/core/includes/install.inc b/core/includes/install.inc
index c3c91d8c06080615ae5788cb55b84e974dcb401d..4c9c60c273c72c861123202f41754d757ee86aa5 100644
--- a/core/includes/install.inc
+++ b/core/includes/install.inc
@@ -309,12 +309,11 @@ function install_ensure_config_directory() {
  *   The list of modules to install.
  */
 function drupal_verify_profile($install_state) {
-  $profile = $install_state['parameters']['profile'];
-
   include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/core/includes/file.inc';
   include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/core/includes/common.inc';
 
-  $profile_file = DRUPAL_ROOT . "/profiles/$profile/$profile.profile";
+  $profile = $install_state['parameters']['profile'];
+  $profile_file = $install_state['profiles'][$profile]->uri;
 
   if (!isset($profile) || !file_exists($profile_file)) {
     throw new Exception(install_no_profile_error());
@@ -729,15 +728,18 @@ function st($string, array $args = array(), array $options = array()) {
 /**
  * Check an install profile's requirements.
  *
- * @param $profile
+ * @param string $profile
  *   Name of install profile to check.
- * @return
+ * @param array $install_state
+ *   The current state in the install process.
+ *
+ * @return array
  *   Array of the install profile's requirements.
  */
-function drupal_check_profile($profile) {
+function drupal_check_profile($profile, array $install_state) {
   include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/core/includes/file.inc';
 
-  $profile_file = DRUPAL_ROOT . "/profiles/$profile/$profile.profile";
+  $profile_file = $install_state['profiles'][$profile]->uri;
 
   if (!isset($profile) || !file_exists($profile_file)) {
     throw new Exception(install_no_profile_error());
@@ -854,7 +856,9 @@ function install_profile_info($profile, $langcode = 'en') {
       'hidden' => FALSE,
       'php' => DRUPAL_MINIMUM_PHP,
     );
-    $info = drupal_parse_info_file("profiles/$profile/$profile.info") + $defaults;
+    $profile_file = drupal_get_path('profile', $profile) . "/$profile.info";
+    $info = drupal_parse_info_file($profile_file);
+    $info += $defaults;
     $info['dependencies'] = array_unique(array_merge(
       drupal_required_modules(),
       $info['dependencies'],
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php
index c9baa830fb50dd869e1282864a879b63aaea796e..f707a02b4066f7c7ada8b43561ce24d5da4cb7e2 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Bootstrap/GetFilenameUnitTest.php
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function testDrupalGetFilename() {
 
     // Retrieving the location of a profile. Profiles are a special case with
     // a fixed location and naming.
-    $this->assertIdentical(drupal_get_filename('profile', 'standard'), 'profiles/standard/standard.profile', t('Retrieve install profile location.'));
+    $this->assertIdentical(drupal_get_filename('profile', 'standard'), 'core/profiles/standard/standard.profile', t('Retrieve install profile location.'));
 
     // When a file is not found in the database cache, drupal_get_filename()
     // searches several locations on the filesystem, including the core/
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Common/SystemListingTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Common/SystemListingTest.php
index 48ef555e47ae1fb0fca67c807f6087fa05fa0ab2..ad4266c5f17068e86e59c13d15d8a2ecf2240a43 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Common/SystemListingTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Common/SystemListingTest.php
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ function testDirectoryPrecedence() {
       // precedence.
       'drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test' => array(
         'core/modules/system/tests/modules',
-        'profiles/testing/modules',
+        'core/profiles/testing/modules',
       ),
       // When both copies of the module are compatible with Drupal core, the
       // copy in the profile directory takes precedence.
       'drupal_system_listing_compatible_test' => array(
-        'profiles/testing/modules',
+        'core/profiles/testing/modules',
         'core/modules/system/tests/modules',
       ),
     );
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.module b/core/modules/system/system.module
index 804575cab0388081e715106b3543cf4dc0aa0a5a..983c317e1e6171221644516f3d1899c53b48cd17 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.module
@@ -2648,11 +2648,12 @@ function _system_rebuild_module_data() {
   // Find modules
   $modules = drupal_system_listing('/^' . DRUPAL_PHP_FUNCTION_PATTERN . '\.module$/', 'modules', 'name', 0);
 
+  // Find installation profiles.
+  $profiles = drupal_system_listing('/^' . DRUPAL_PHP_FUNCTION_PATTERN . '\.profile$/', 'profiles', 'name', 0);
+
   // Include the install profile in modules that are loaded.
   $profile = drupal_get_profile();
-  $modules[$profile] = new stdClass();
-  $modules[$profile]->name = $profile;
-  $modules[$profile]->uri = 'profiles/' . $profile . '/' . $profile . '.profile';
+  $modules[$profile] = $profiles[$profile];
 
   // Install profile hooks are always executed last.
   $modules[$profile]->weight = 1000;
diff --git a/profiles/minimal/minimal.info b/core/profiles/minimal/minimal.info
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/minimal/minimal.info
rename to core/profiles/minimal/minimal.info
diff --git a/profiles/minimal/minimal.install b/core/profiles/minimal/minimal.install
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/minimal/minimal.install
rename to core/profiles/minimal/minimal.install
diff --git a/profiles/minimal/minimal.profile b/core/profiles/minimal/minimal.profile
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/minimal/minimal.profile
rename to core/profiles/minimal/minimal.profile
diff --git a/profiles/minimal/translations/README.txt b/core/profiles/minimal/translations/README.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/minimal/translations/README.txt
rename to core/profiles/minimal/translations/README.txt
diff --git a/profiles/standard/standard.info b/core/profiles/standard/standard.info
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/standard/standard.info
rename to core/profiles/standard/standard.info
diff --git a/profiles/standard/standard.install b/core/profiles/standard/standard.install
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/standard/standard.install
rename to core/profiles/standard/standard.install
diff --git a/profiles/standard/standard.profile b/core/profiles/standard/standard.profile
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/standard/standard.profile
rename to core/profiles/standard/standard.profile
diff --git a/profiles/standard/translations/README.txt b/core/profiles/standard/translations/README.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/standard/translations/README.txt
rename to core/profiles/standard/translations/README.txt
diff --git a/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.info b/core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.info
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.info
rename to core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.info
diff --git a/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.module b/core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.module
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.module
rename to core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test.module
diff --git a/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/lib/Drupal/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/Tests/SystemListingCompatibleTest.php b/core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/lib/Drupal/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/Tests/SystemListingCompatibleTest.php
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/lib/Drupal/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/Tests/SystemListingCompatibleTest.php
rename to core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/lib/Drupal/drupal_system_listing_compatible_test/Tests/SystemListingCompatibleTest.php
diff --git a/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.info b/core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.info
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.info
rename to core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.info
diff --git a/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.module b/core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.module
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.module
rename to core/profiles/testing/modules/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test/drupal_system_listing_incompatible_test.module
diff --git a/profiles/testing/testing.info b/core/profiles/testing/testing.info
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/testing.info
rename to core/profiles/testing/testing.info
diff --git a/profiles/testing/testing.install b/core/profiles/testing/testing.install
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/testing.install
rename to core/profiles/testing/testing.install
diff --git a/profiles/testing/testing.profile b/core/profiles/testing/testing.profile
similarity index 100%
rename from profiles/testing/testing.profile
rename to core/profiles/testing/testing.profile
diff --git a/sites/all/README.txt b/sites/all/README.txt
index c8970883a7adc39b30d7d00c93713a7b19cd336e..d25add3bdad06807409f32fc364eada3fcb5a3b0 100644
--- a/sites/all/README.txt
+++ b/sites/all/README.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
-This directory should be used to place downloaded and custom modules
-and themes which are common to all sites. Keeping contributed and
-custom modules and themes in the sites directory will aid in upgrading
-Drupal core files. Place contributed and custom modules and themes in
-the sites/all/modules and sites/all/themes directories respectively.
-
+This directory should be used to place downloaded and custom modules, themes
+and profiles which are common to all sites. Keeping contributed and custom
+modules, themes, and profiles in the sites directory will aid in upgrading
+Drupal core files. Place contributed and custom modules, themes, and profiles
+in the sites/all/modules, sites/all/themes, and sites/all/profiles directories
+respectively.
diff --git a/sites/all/profiles/README.txt b/sites/all/profiles/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..2bbf4c97bcb369b3b7b88f756691f1442b530649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sites/all/profiles/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+
+This directory should be used to place downloaded and custom profiles
+which are common to all sites. This will allow you to more easily
+update Drupal core files.