diff --git a/conf/config.json b/conf/config.json
index 34b6bd1..709087a 100644
--- a/conf/config.json
+++ b/conf/config.json
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@
   "execution_context": "/home/phanes/development/internal/Examplar/conf/",
   "units_path":	"units/all_test.units",
   "plan_path":  "plans/test.plan",
-  "config_version": "2"
+  "config_version": "3",
+  "env_vars_file": "Examplar.variables"
 }
diff --git a/src/loaders/Conf.cpp b/src/loaders/Conf.cpp
index 94e18ba..4dae71c 100644
--- a/src/loaders/Conf.cpp
+++ b/src/loaders/Conf.cpp
@@ -114,6 +114,14 @@ Conf::Conf( std::string filename, bool verbose ): JSON_Loader()
     } else {
             this->execution_context_literal = this->execution_context.asString();
     }
+
+    if ( this->get_serialized(this->env_vars_file, "env_vars_file", true) != 0 )
+    {
+        throw ConfigLoadException("env_vars_file is not set in the config file supplied: " + filename);
+    }
+
+
+
 };
 
 /// Conf::has_context_override - Specifies whether or not the override context function is enabled in the conf file.
@@ -138,3 +146,8 @@ void Conf::set_execution_context( std::string execution_context )
 {
     this->execution_context_literal = execution_context;
 }
+
+std::string Conf::get_env_vars_file()
+{
+    return this->env_vars_file.asString();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/loaders/Conf.h b/src/loaders/Conf.h
index fb0b41a..44598b6 100644
--- a/src/loaders/Conf.h
+++ b/src/loaders/Conf.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #define STRINGIZE2(s) #s
 #define STRINGIZE(s) STRINGIZE2(s)
-# define IMPL_CONFIG_VERSION 2
+# define IMPL_CONFIG_VERSION 3
 # define VERSION_STRING STRINGIZE(IMPL_CONFIG_VERSION)
 
 class Conf: public JSON_Loader
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ private:
     Json::Value units_path;
     Json::Value execution_context;
     Json::Value config_version;
+    Json::Value env_vars_file;
 
     // flag to indicate if execution context should be overriden in config file
     // if set to true Examplar should use whats in the config file for current working directory
@@ -53,8 +54,11 @@ public:
     bool has_context_override();
 
     std::string get_execution_context();
+
     void set_execution_context( std::string );
 
+    std::string get_env_vars_file();
+
 };
 
 #endif //FTESTS_CONF_H
diff --git a/src/loaders/Task.cpp b/src/loaders/Task.cpp
index c8257f2..ec9cbba 100644
--- a/src/loaders/Task.cpp
+++ b/src/loaders/Task.cpp
@@ -200,11 +200,12 @@ void Task::execute( Conf * configuration, bool verbose )
     // if we're in verbose mode, do some verbose things
     if ( verbose )
     {
-
+/*
         infostring = std::ostringstream();
         infostring << "\tUsing unit \"" << task_name << "\"." << std::endl;
         syslog( LOG_INFO, infostring.str().c_str() );
         std::cout << infostring.str();
+*/
 
         // check if context override
         if ( configuration->has_context_override() )
@@ -224,7 +225,8 @@ void Task::execute( Conf * configuration, bool verbose )
     }
 
     // a[0] execute target
-    int return_code = Sproc::execute( target_command );
+    // TODO revise variable sourcing strategy
+    int return_code = Sproc::execute( "source " + configuration->get_env_vars_file() + " && " + target_command );
 
     // **********************************************
     // d[0] Error Code Check