diff --git a/man/pulse-client.conf.5.xml.in b/man/pulse-client.conf.5.xml.in
index 1002dbe78..cca2219d0 100644
--- a/man/pulse-client.conf.5.xml.in
+++ b/man/pulse-client.conf.5.xml.in
@@ -23,15 +23,26 @@ License along with PulseAudio; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
   <synopsis>
     <p><file>~/.config/pulse/client.conf</file></p>
-
+    <p><file>~/.config/pulse/client.conf.d/*.conf</file></p>
     <p><file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/client.conf</file></p>
+    <p><file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/client.conf.d/*.conf</file></p>
   </synopsis>
 
   <description>
     <p>The PulseAudio client library reads configuration directives from
-    a file <file>~/.config/pulse/client.conf</file> on startup and when that
-    file doesn't exist from
-    <file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/client.conf</file>.</p>
+    a configuration file on startup. If the per-user file
+    <file>~/.config/pulse/client.conf</file> exists, it is used, otherwise the
+    system configuration file <file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/client.conf</file>
+    is used. In addition to those main files, configuration directives can also
+    be put in files under directories
+    <file>~/.config/pulse/client.conf.d/</file> and
+    <file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/client.conf.d/</file>. Those files have to
+    have the .conf file name extension, but otherwise the file names can be
+    chosen freely. The files under client.conf.d are processed in alphabetical
+    order. In case the same option is set in multiple files, the last file to
+    set an option overrides earlier files. The main client.conf file is
+    processed first, so options set in files under client.conf.d override the
+    main file.</p>
 
     <p>The configuration file is a simple collection of variable
     declarations. If the configuration file parser encounters either ;
diff --git a/man/pulse-daemon.conf.5.xml.in b/man/pulse-daemon.conf.5.xml.in
index d221585dc..0367b1ff3 100644
--- a/man/pulse-daemon.conf.5.xml.in
+++ b/man/pulse-daemon.conf.5.xml.in
@@ -23,18 +23,29 @@ License along with PulseAudio; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
   <synopsis>
     <p><file>~/.config/pulse/daemon.conf</file></p>
-
+    <p><file>~/.config/pulse/daemon.conf.d/*.conf</file></p>
     <p><file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/daemon.conf</file></p>
+    <p><file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/daemon.conf.d/*.conf</file></p>
   </synopsis>
 
   <description>
     <p>The PulseAudio sound server reads configuration directives from
-    a file <file>~/.config/pulse/daemon.conf</file> on startup and when that
-    file doesn't exist from
-    <file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/daemon.conf</file>. Please note that the
-    server also reads a configuration script on startup
-    <file>default.pa</file> which also contains runtime configuration
-    directives.</p>
+    a configuration file on startup. If the per-user file
+    <file>~/.config/pulse/daemon.conf</file> exists, it is used, otherwise the
+    system configuration file <file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/daemon.conf</file>
+    is used. In addition to those main files, configuration directives can also
+    be put in files under directories
+    <file>~/.config/pulse/daemon.conf.d/</file> and
+    <file>@PA_DEFAULT_CONFIG_DIR@/daemon.conf.d/</file>. Those files have to
+    have the .conf file name extension, but otherwise the file names can be
+    chosen freely. The files under daemon.conf.d are processed in alphabetical
+    order. In case the same option is set in multiple files, the last file to
+    set an option overrides earlier files. The main daemon.conf file is
+    processed first, so options set in files under daemon.conf.d override the
+    main file.</p>
+
+    <p>Please note that the server also reads a configuration script on
+    startup. See <manref name="default.pa" section="5"/>.</p>
 
     <p>The configuration file is a simple collection of variable
     declarations. If the configuration file parser encounters either ;
diff --git a/src/daemon/daemon-conf.c b/src/daemon/daemon-conf.c
index 306c8cbfa..288aed2b2 100644
--- a/src/daemon/daemon-conf.c
+++ b/src/daemon/daemon-conf.c
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ int pa_daemon_conf_load(pa_daemon_conf *c, const char *filename) {
     ci.default_channel_map_set = ci.default_sample_spec_set = false;
     ci.conf = c;
 
-    r = f ? pa_config_parse(c->config_file, f, table, NULL, false, NULL) : 0;
+    r = f ? pa_config_parse(c->config_file, f, table, NULL, true, NULL) : 0;
 
     if (r >= 0) {
 
diff --git a/src/pulse/client-conf.c b/src/pulse/client-conf.c
index c2ece90e7..c23aa6bf6 100644
--- a/src/pulse/client-conf.c
+++ b/src/pulse/client-conf.c
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ void pa_client_conf_load(pa_client_conf *c, bool load_from_x11, bool load_from_e
 
     f = pa_open_config_file(DEFAULT_CLIENT_CONFIG_FILE, DEFAULT_CLIENT_CONFIG_FILE_USER, ENV_CLIENT_CONFIG_FILE, &fn);
     if (f) {
-        pa_config_parse(fn, f, table, NULL, false, NULL);
+        pa_config_parse(fn, f, table, NULL, true, NULL);
         pa_xfree(fn);
         fclose(f);
     }