diff --git a/bin/now-alias.js b/bin/now-alias.js
index a66a7c9..4814f5f 100755
--- a/bin/now-alias.js
+++ b/bin/now-alias.js
@@ -296,13 +296,12 @@ function findAlias(alias, list) {
 
 async function realias(alias) {
   const path = process.cwd()
-  const {pkg, name} = await readMetaData(path, {
+  const {nowConfig, name} = await readMetaData(path, {
     deploymentType: 'npm', // hard coding settings…
     quiet: true // `quiet`
   })
 
-  const pkgConfig = pkg ? pkg.now || {} : {}
-  const target = pkgConfig.alias
+  const target = nowConfig && nowConfig.alias
 
   // the user never intended to support aliases from the package
   if (!target) {
diff --git a/bin/now-deploy.js b/bin/now-deploy.js
index 540b832..08ecc53 100755
--- a/bin/now-deploy.js
+++ b/bin/now-deploy.js
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ async function sync(token) {
     }
   }
 
-  const {pkg: {now: pkgConfig = {}} = {}} = await readMetaData(path, {
+  const {nowConfig} = await readMetaData(path, {
     deploymentType,
     deploymentName,
     isStatic,
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ async function sync(token) {
   const now = new Now(apiUrl, token, {debug})
 
   // Merge `now.env` from package.json with `-e` arguments.
-  const pkgEnv = pkgConfig.env
+  const pkgEnv = nowConfig && nowConfig.env
   const envs = [
     ...Object.keys(pkgEnv || {}).map(k => `${k}=${pkgEnv[k]}`),
     ...[].concat(argv.env || [])
diff --git a/lib/get-files.js b/lib/get-files.js
index a225344..f797b6e 100644
--- a/lib/get-files.js
+++ b/lib/get-files.js
@@ -24,11 +24,15 @@ const IGNORED = require('./ignored')
  * @return {Array} comprehensive list of paths to sync
  */
 
-async function npm(path, pkg, {
+async function npm(path, pkg, nowConfig = null, {
   limit = null,
+  hasNowJson = false,
   debug = false
 } = {}) {
-  const whitelist = pkg.now && pkg.now.files ? pkg.now.files : pkg.files
+  const whitelist = (nowConfig && nowConfig.files) || pkg.files
+
+  // the package.json `files` whitelist still
+  // honors ignores: https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#files
   const search_ = whitelist || ['.']
   // convert all filenames into absolute paths
   const search = Array.prototype.concat.apply([], (await Promise.all(search_.map(file => glob(file, {cwd: path, absolute: true, dot: true})))))
@@ -92,6 +96,10 @@ async function npm(path, pkg, {
   // source: https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#files
   files.push(asAbsolute('package.json', path))
 
+  if (hasNowJson) {
+    files.push(asAbsolute('now.json', path))
+  }
+
   // get files
   return unique(files)
 }
@@ -125,12 +133,17 @@ const asAbsolute = function (path, parent) {
  * @return {Array} comprehensive list of paths to sync
  */
 
-async function docker(path, {
+async function docker(path, nowConfig = null, {
   limit = null,
+  hasNowJson = false,
   debug = false
 } = {}) {
+  const whitelist = nowConfig && nowConfig.files
+
   // base search path
-  const search_ = ['.']
+  // the now.json `files` whitelist still
+  // honors ignores: https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#files
+  const search_ = whitelist || ['.']
 
   // convert all filenames into absolute paths
   const search = search_.map(file => asAbsolute(file, path))
@@ -176,6 +189,10 @@ async function docker(path, {
   // source: https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#files
   files.push(asAbsolute('Dockerfile', path))
 
+  if (hasNowJson) {
+    files.push(asAbsolute('now.json', path))
+  }
+
   // get files
   return unique(files)
 }
@@ -206,7 +223,7 @@ const glob = async function (pattern, options) {
  * @return {Array} of {String}s of full paths
  */
 
-const explode = async function (paths, {accepts, debug}) {
+async function explode(paths, {accepts, debug}) {
   const list = async file => {
     let path = file
     let s
@@ -262,7 +279,7 @@ const explode = async function (paths, {accepts, debug}) {
 
 const maybeRead = async function (path, default_ = '') {
   try {
-    return (await readFile(path, 'utf8'))
+    return await readFile(path, 'utf8')
   } catch (err) {
     return default_
   }
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 4cd6e99..9359eee 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -53,30 +53,31 @@ module.exports = class Now extends EventEmitter {
 
     let files
 
-    const {pkg, name, description} = await readMetaData(path, {
+    const meta = await readMetaData(path, {
       deploymentType,
       deploymentName,
       quiet,
       isStatic
     })
+    const {pkg, name, description, nowConfig, hasNowJson} = meta
+    deploymentType = meta.deploymentType
 
     if (this._debug) {
       console.time('> [debug] Getting files')
     }
 
+    const opts = {debug: this._debug, hasNowJson}
     if (deploymentType === 'npm') {
-      files = await getNpmFiles(path, pkg, {debug: this._debug})
+      files = await getNpmFiles(path, pkg, nowConfig, opts)
     } else {
-      files = await getDockerFiles(path, {debug: this._debug})
+      files = await getDockerFiles(path, nowConfig, opts)
     }
 
     if (this._debug) {
       console.timeEnd('> [debug] Getting files')
     }
 
-    const nowProperties = pkg ? pkg.now || {} : {}
-
-    forwardNpm = forwardNpm || nowProperties.forwardNpm
+    forwardNpm = forwardNpm || (nowConfig && nowConfig.forwardNpm)
 
     // Read .npmrc
     let npmrc = {}
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ module.exports = class Now extends EventEmitter {
 
     this._files = hashes
 
-    const engines = nowProperties.engines || pkg.engines
+    const engines = (nowConfig && nowConfig.engines) || pkg.engines
 
     const deployment = await this.retry(async bail => {
       if (this._debug) {
diff --git a/lib/read-metadata.js b/lib/read-metadata.js
index 4b9f626..011eee9 100644
--- a/lib/read-metadata.js
+++ b/lib/read-metadata.js
@@ -12,24 +12,51 @@ const listPackage = {
   }
 }
 
-module.exports = async function (path, {
+module.exports = readMetaData
+
+async function readMetaData(path, {
   deploymentType = 'npm',
   deploymentName,
   quiet = false,
+  strict = true,
   isStatic = false
 }) {
   let pkg = {}
+  let nowConfig = null
+  let hasNowJson = false
 
   let name
   let description
 
+  try {
+    nowConfig = JSON.parse(await readFile(resolvePath(path, 'now.json')))
+    hasNowJson = true
+  } catch (err) {
+    // if the file doesn't exist then that's fine; any other error bubbles up
+    if (err.code !== 'ENOENT') {
+      const e = Error(`Failed to read JSON in "${path}/now.json"`)
+      e.userError = true
+      throw e
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (hasNowJson) {
+    // user can specify the type of deployment explicitly in the `now.json` file
+    // when both a package.json and Dockerfile exist
+    if (nowConfig.type) {
+      deploymentType = nowConfig.type
+    }
+    if (nowConfig.name) {
+      deploymentName = nowConfig.name
+    }
+  }
+
   if (deploymentType === 'npm') {
     if (isStatic) {
       pkg = listPackage
     } else {
       try {
-        pkg = await readFile(resolvePath(path, 'package.json'))
-        pkg = JSON.parse(pkg)
+        pkg = JSON.parse(await readFile(resolvePath(path, 'package.json')))
       } catch (err) {
         const e = Error(`Failed to read JSON in "${path}/package.json"`)
         e.userError = true
@@ -37,7 +64,7 @@ module.exports = async function (path, {
       }
     }
 
-    if (!pkg.scripts || (!pkg.scripts.start && !pkg.scripts['now-start'])) {
+    if (strict && (!pkg.scripts || (!pkg.scripts.start && !pkg.scripts['now-start']))) {
       const e = Error('Missing `start` (or `now-start`) script in `package.json`. ' +
         'See: https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/start.')
       e.userError = true
@@ -68,7 +95,7 @@ module.exports = async function (path, {
       throw e
     }
 
-    if (docker.length <= 0) {
+    if (strict && docker.length <= 0) {
       const e = Error('No commands found in `Dockerfile`')
       e.userError = true
       throw e
@@ -101,21 +128,43 @@ module.exports = async function (path, {
         name = basename(path)
 
         if (!quiet) {
-          console.log(`> No \`name\` LABEL in \`Dockerfile\`, using ${chalk.bold(name)}`)
+          if (hasNowJson) {
+            console.log(`> No \`name\` LABEL in \`Dockerfile\` or \`name\` field in \`now.json\`, using ${chalk.bold(name)}`)
+          } else {
+            console.log(`> No \`name\` LABEL in \`Dockerfile\`, using ${chalk.bold(name)}`)
+          }
         }
       }
     }
 
     description = labels.description
+  } else {
+    throw new TypeError(`Unsupported "deploymentType": ${deploymentType}`)
   }
 
   if (deploymentName) {
     name = deploymentName
   }
 
+  if (pkg.now) {
+    // if the project has both a `now.json` and `now` Object in the `package.json`
+    // file, then fail hard and let the user know that they need to pick one or the
+    // other
+    if (hasNowJson) {
+      const e = new Error('You have a `now` configuration field inside `package.json`, but configuration is also present in `now.json`! Please ensure there\'s a single source of configuration by removing one')
+      e.userError = true
+      throw e
+    } else {
+      nowConfig = pkg.now
+    }
+  }
+
   return {
     name,
     description,
-    pkg
+    deploymentType,
+    pkg,
+    nowConfig,
+    hasNowJson
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/Dockerfile b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a86da2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+CMD echo 'world'
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/a.js b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/a.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95c1988
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/a.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+// should not be included
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/b.js b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/b.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcdb2da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/b.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+// should be included
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/now.json b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/now.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88faec5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json-docker/now.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "type": "docker",
+  "files": [
+    "b.js"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json-throws/now.json b/test/_fixtures/now-json-throws/now.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..087ce94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json-throws/now.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "alias": "bar.com"
+}
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json-throws/package.json b/test/_fixtures/now-json-throws/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..350ad6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json-throws/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "name": "woot",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "",
+  "dependencies": {},
+  "now": {
+    "alias": "foo.com"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json/a.js b/test/_fixtures/now-json/a.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95c1988
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json/a.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+// should not be included
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json/b.js b/test/_fixtures/now-json/b.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcdb2da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json/b.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+// should be included
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json/now.json b/test/_fixtures/now-json/now.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5acf2cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json/now.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "files": [
+    "b.js"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/test/_fixtures/now-json/package.json b/test/_fixtures/now-json/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c679e7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/_fixtures/now-json/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "name": "woot",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "",
+  "dependencies": {},
+  "files": [
+    "a.js"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 33ea08f..11b1f99 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -4,25 +4,20 @@ const {join, resolve} = require('path')
 // Packages
 const test = require('ava')
 const {asc: alpha} = require('alpha-sort')
-const {readFile} = require('fs-promise')
 
 // Ours
-const {npm: getNpmFiles_, docker: getDockerFiles} = require('../lib/get-files')
 const hash = require('../lib/hash')
+const readMetadata = require('../lib/read-metadata')
+const {npm: getNpmFiles_, docker: getDockerFiles} = require('../lib/get-files')
 
 const prefix = join(__dirname, '_fixtures') + '/'
 const base = path => path.replace(prefix, '')
 const fixture = name => resolve(`./test/_fixtures/${name}`)
 
-const readJSON = async file => {
-  const data = await readFile(file)
-  return JSON.parse(data)
-}
-
 // overload to force debugging
 const getNpmFiles = async dir => {
-  const pkg = await readJSON(resolve(dir, 'package.json'))
-  return getNpmFiles_(dir, pkg)
+  const {pkg, nowConfig, hasNowJson} = await readMetadata(dir, {quiet: true, strict: false})
+  return getNpmFiles_(dir, pkg, nowConfig, {hasNowJson})
 }
 
 test('`files`', async t => {
@@ -170,3 +165,37 @@ test('prefix regression', async t => {
   t.is(base(files[0]), 'prefix-regression/package.json')
   t.is(base(files[1]), 'prefix-regression/woot.js')
 })
+
+test('support `now.json` files with package.json', async t => {
+  let files = await getNpmFiles(fixture('now-json'))
+  files = files.sort(alpha)
+  t.is(files.length, 3)
+  t.is(base(files[0]), 'now-json/b.js')
+  t.is(base(files[1]), 'now-json/now.json')
+  t.is(base(files[2]), 'now-json/package.json')
+})
+
+test('support `now.json` files with Dockerfile', async t => {
+  const f = fixture('now-json-docker')
+  const {deploymentType, nowConfig, hasNowJson} = await readMetadata(f, {quiet: true, strict: false})
+  t.is(deploymentType, 'docker')
+
+  let files = await getDockerFiles(f, nowConfig, {hasNowJson})
+  files = files.sort(alpha)
+  t.is(files.length, 3)
+  t.is(base(files[0]), 'now-json-docker/Dockerfile')
+  t.is(base(files[1]), 'now-json-docker/b.js')
+  t.is(base(files[2]), 'now-json-docker/now.json')
+})
+
+test('throws when both `now.json` and `package.json:now` exist', async t => {
+  let e
+  try {
+    await readMetadata(fixture('now-json-throws'), {quiet: true, strict: false})
+  } catch (err) {
+    e = err
+  }
+  t.is(e.name, 'Error')
+  t.is(e.userError, true)
+  t.pass(/please ensure there's a single source of configuration/i.test(e.message))
+})