diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts b/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts
index 7a2355650c8a0..14ab1a2d04b98 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts
@@ -111,8 +111,11 @@ async function initCommandLine() {
   debug('CDK toolkit version:', version.DISPLAY_VERSION);
   debug('Command line arguments:', argv);
 
+  const configuration = new Configuration(argv);
+  await configuration.load();
+
   const sdkProvider = await SdkProvider.withAwsCliCompatibleDefaults({
-    profile: argv.profile,
+    profile: configuration.settings.get(['profile']),
     ec2creds: argv.ec2creds,
     httpOptions: {
       proxyAddress: argv.proxy,
@@ -120,9 +123,6 @@ async function initCommandLine() {
     },
   });
 
-  const configuration = new Configuration(argv);
-  await configuration.load();
-
   const cloudFormation = new CloudFormationDeployments({ sdkProvider });
 
   const cloudExecutable = new CloudExecutable({
diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts b/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts
index 923c90d20afa7..93e37e9d3eab3 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ export class Settings {
       language: argv.language,
       pathMetadata: argv.pathMetadata,
       assetMetadata: argv.assetMetadata,
+      profile: argv.profile,
       plugin: argv.plugin,
       requireApproval: argv.requireApproval,
       toolkitStackName: argv.toolkitStackName,