diff --git a/dotbot/dispatcher.py b/dotbot/dispatcher.py
index 79231a0..f61c802 100644
--- a/dotbot/dispatcher.py
+++ b/dotbot/dispatcher.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from .messenger import Messenger
 class Dispatcher(object):
     def __init__(self, base_directory):
         self._log = Messenger()
+        self._defaults = {}
         self._set_base_directory(base_directory)
         self._load_plugins()
 
@@ -20,11 +21,16 @@ class Dispatcher(object):
         success = True
         for task in tasks:
             for action in task:
+                if action == 'defaults':
+                    self._defaults = task[action]
+                    self._log.info('Set defaults')
+                    continue
                 handled = False
                 for plugin in self._plugins:
                     if plugin.can_handle(action):
                         try:
-                            success &= plugin.handle(action, task[action])
+                            success &= plugin.handle(action, task[action],
+                                                     self._defaults.get(action, {}))
                             handled = True
                         except Exception:
                             self._log.error(
@@ -36,8 +42,7 @@ class Dispatcher(object):
         return success
 
     def _load_plugins(self):
-        self._plugins = [plugin(self._base_directory)
-            for plugin in Plugin.__subclasses__()]
+        self._plugins = [plugin(self._base_directory) for plugin in Plugin.__subclasses__()]
 
 class DispatchError(Exception):
     pass
diff --git a/dotbot/plugin.py b/dotbot/plugin.py
index a79639e..47951ce 100644
--- a/dotbot/plugin.py
+++ b/dotbot/plugin.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class Plugin(object):
         '''
         raise NotImplementedError
 
-    def handle(self, directive, data):
+    def handle(self, directive, data, defaults):
         '''
         Executes the directive.
 
diff --git a/plugins/clean.py b/plugins/clean.py
index 22ec450..ac1f95f 100644
--- a/plugins/clean.py
+++ b/plugins/clean.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class Clean(dotbot.Plugin):
     def can_handle(self, directive):
         return directive == self._directive
 
-    def handle(self, directive, data):
+    def handle(self, directive, data, defaults):
         if directive != self._directive:
             raise ValueError('Clean cannot handle directive %s' % directive)
         return self._process_clean(data)
diff --git a/plugins/link.py b/plugins/link.py
index 3bb5686..1ebea6f 100644
--- a/plugins/link.py
+++ b/plugins/link.py
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ class Link(dotbot.Plugin):
     def can_handle(self, directive):
         return directive == self._directive
 
-    def handle(self, directive, data):
+    def handle(self, directive, data, defaults):
         if directive != self._directive:
             raise ValueError('Link cannot handle directive %s' % directive)
-        return self._process_links(data)
+        return self._process_links(data, defaults)
 
-    def _process_links(self, links):
+    def _process_links(self, links, defaults):
         success = True
         for destination, source in links.items():
             source = os.path.expandvars(source)
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ class Link(dotbot.Plugin):
             if isinstance(source, dict):
                 # extended config
                 path = source['path']
-                relative = source.get('relative', False)
-                force = source.get('force', False)
-                relink = source.get('relink', False)
-                create = source.get('create', False)
+                relative = source.get('relative', defaults.get('relative', False))
+                force = source.get('force', defaults.get('force', False))
+                relink = source.get('relink', defaults.get('relink', False))
+                create = source.get('create', defaults.get('create', False))
                 if create:
                     success &= self._create(destination)
                 if force:
diff --git a/plugins/shell.py b/plugins/shell.py
index a2d9c1a..d1000cb 100644
--- a/plugins/shell.py
+++ b/plugins/shell.py
@@ -10,13 +10,12 @@ class Shell(dotbot.Plugin):
     def can_handle(self, directive):
         return directive == self._directive
 
-    def handle(self, directive, data):
+    def handle(self, directive, data, defaults):
         if directive != self._directive:
-            raise ValueError('Shell cannot handle directive %s' %
-                directive)
-        return self._process_commands(data)
+            raise ValueError('Shell cannot handle directive %s' % directive)
+        return self._process_commands(data, defaults)
 
-    def _process_commands(self, data):
+    def _process_commands(self, data, defaults):
         success = True
         with open(os.devnull, 'w') as devnull:
             for item in data:
@@ -24,11 +23,11 @@ class Shell(dotbot.Plugin):
                 if isinstance(item, dict):
                     cmd = item['command']
                     msg = item.get('description', None)
-                    if item.get('stdin', False) is True:
+                    if item.get('stdin', defaults.get('stdin', False)) is True:
                         stdin = None
-                    if item.get('stdout', False) is True:
+                    if item.get('stdout', defaults.get('stdout', False)) is True:
                         stdout = None
-                    if item.get('stderr', False) is True:
+                    if item.get('stderr', defaults.get('stderr', False)) is True:
                         stderr = None
                 elif isinstance(item, list):
                     cmd = item[0]
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ class Shell(dotbot.Plugin):
                 else:
                     self._log.lowinfo('%s [%s]' % (msg, cmd))
                 ret = subprocess.call(cmd, shell=True, stdin=stdin, stdout=stdout,
-                    stderr=stderr, cwd=self._base_directory)
+                                      stderr=stderr, cwd=self._base_directory)
                 if ret != 0:
                     success = False
                     self._log.warning('Command [%s] failed' % cmd)