diff --git a/lib/wp/private/internal-comp-loader.c b/lib/wp/private/internal-comp-loader.c
index 80817b94..4a7e7b3a 100644
--- a/lib/wp/private/internal-comp-loader.c
+++ b/lib/wp/private/internal-comp-loader.c
@@ -739,8 +739,16 @@ wp_internal_comp_loader_load (WpComponentLoader * self, WpCore * core,
 
       profile_json =
           wp_conf_get_value (conf, "wireplumber.profiles", component, NULL);
-      if (profile_json)
-        wp_properties_update_from_json (profile, profile_json);
+      if (!profile_json) {
+        g_autoptr (GTask) task = g_task_new (self, cancellable, callback, data);
+        g_task_set_source_tag (task, wp_internal_comp_loader_load);
+        g_task_return_new_error (G_TASK (task), WP_DOMAIN_LIBRARY,
+            WP_LIBRARY_ERROR_INVALID_ARGUMENT,
+            "profile '%s' not found in configuration", component);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      wp_properties_update_from_json (profile, profile_json);
 
       components = wp_conf_get_section (conf, "wireplumber.components", NULL);
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 8f854896..a1785025 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ enum WpExitCode
 
 static gboolean show_version = FALSE;
 static gchar * config_file = NULL;
+static gchar * profile = NULL;
 
 static GOptionEntry entries[] =
 {
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ static GOptionEntry entries[] =
     "Show version", NULL },
   { "config-file", 'c', G_OPTION_FLAG_NONE, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING, &config_file,
     "The context configuration file", NULL },
+  { "profile", 'p', G_OPTION_FLAG_NONE, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING, &profile,
+    "The profile to load", NULL },
   { NULL }
 };
 
@@ -151,6 +154,8 @@ main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
 
   if (!config_file)
     config_file = "wireplumber.conf";
+  if (!profile)
+    profile = "main";
 
   /* Forward WIREPLUMBER_CONFIG_DIR to PIPEWIRE_CONFIG_DIR */
   conf_env = g_getenv ("WIREPLUMBER_CONFIG_DIR");
@@ -161,7 +166,7 @@ main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
       PW_KEY_CONFIG_NAME, config_file,
       PW_KEY_APP_NAME, "WirePlumber",
       "wireplumber.daemon", "true",
-      "wireplumber.profile", "main",
+      "wireplumber.profile", profile,
       NULL);
 
   /* prefer manager socket */