diff --git a/jrnl/Journal.py b/jrnl/Journal.py
index af9e6b9e..9b568ee4 100644
--- a/jrnl/Journal.py
+++ b/jrnl/Journal.py
@@ -313,12 +313,6 @@ def open_journal(name, config, legacy=False):
     backwards compatibility with jrnl 1.x
     """
     config = config.copy()
-    journal_conf = config['journals'].get(name)
-    if type(journal_conf) is dict:  # We can override the default config on a by-journal basis
-        log.debug('Updating configuration with specific journal overrides %s', journal_conf)
-        config.update(journal_conf)
-    else:  # But also just give them a string to point to the journal file
-        config['journal'] = journal_conf
     config['journal'] = os.path.expanduser(os.path.expandvars(config['journal']))
 
     if os.path.isdir(config['journal']):
diff --git a/jrnl/cli.py b/jrnl/cli.py
index 5c4585ce..e6a1e3ec 100644
--- a/jrnl/cli.py
+++ b/jrnl/cli.py
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ def run(manual_args=None):
     # If the first textual argument points to a journal file,
     # use this!
     journal_name = args.text[0] if (args.text and args.text[0] in config['journals']) else 'default'
+
     if journal_name is not 'default':
         args.text = args.text[1:]
     elif "default" not in config['journals']:
@@ -160,6 +161,8 @@ def run(manual_args=None):
         util.prompt(list_journals(config))
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    config = util.scope_config(config, journal_name)
+
     # If the first remaining argument looks like e.g. '-3', interpret that as a limiter
     if not args.limit and args.text and args.text[0].startswith("-"):
         try:
@@ -182,7 +185,14 @@ def run(manual_args=None):
             # Piping data into jrnl
             raw = util.py23_read()
         elif config['editor']:
-            raw = util.get_text_from_editor(config)
+            template = ""
+            if config['template']:
+                try:
+                    template = open(config['template']).read() 
+                except:
+                    util.prompt("[Could not read template at '']".format(config['template']))
+                    sys.exit(1)
+            raw = util.get_text_from_editor(config, template)
         else:
             try:
                 raw = util.py23_read("[Compose Entry; " + _exit_multiline_code + " to finish writing]\n")
diff --git a/jrnl/install.py b/jrnl/install.py
index bee35924..2426aea6 100644
--- a/jrnl/install.py
+++ b/jrnl/install.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ default_config = {
     },
     'editor': os.getenv('VISUAL') or os.getenv('EDITOR') or "",
     'encrypt': False,
+    'template': False,
     'default_hour': 9,
     'default_minute': 0,
     'timeformat': "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M",
diff --git a/jrnl/upgrade.py b/jrnl/upgrade.py
index c73fa086..88c9545a 100644
--- a/jrnl/upgrade.py
+++ b/jrnl/upgrade.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ older versions of jrnl anymore.
     for journal_name, path in encrypted_journals.items():
         util.prompt("\nUpgrading encrypted '{}' journal stored in {}...".format(journal_name, path))
         backup(path, binary=True)
-        old_journal = Journal.open_journal(journal_name, config, legacy=True)
+        old_journal = Journal.open_journal(journal_name, util.scope_config(config, journal_name), legacy=True)
         new_journal = EncryptedJournal.from_journal(old_journal)
         new_journal.write()
         util.prompt("  Done.")
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ older versions of jrnl anymore.
     for journal_name, path in plain_journals.items():
         util.prompt("\nUpgrading plain text '{}' journal stored in {}...".format(journal_name, path))
         backup(path)
-        old_journal = Journal.open_journal(journal_name, config, legacy=True)
+        old_journal = Journal.open_journal(journal_name, util.scope_config(config, journal_name), legacy=True)
         new_journal = Journal.PlainJournal.from_journal(old_journal)
         new_journal.write()
         util.prompt("  Done.")
diff --git a/jrnl/util.py b/jrnl/util.py
index 7f8caaa1..f93d8fd8 100644
--- a/jrnl/util.py
+++ b/jrnl/util.py
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ import subprocess
 import codecs
 import unicodedata
 import shlex
+import logging
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 PY3 = sys.version_info[0] == 3
@@ -122,6 +125,20 @@ def load_config(config_path):
         return yaml.load(f)
 
 
+def scope_config(config, journal_name):
+    if journal_name not in config['journals']:
+        return config
+    config = config.copy()
+    journal_conf = config['journals'].get(journal_name)
+    if type(journal_conf) is dict:  # We can override the default config on a by-journal basis
+        log.debug('Updating configuration with specific journal overrides %s', journal_conf)
+        config.update(journal_conf)
+    else:  # But also just give them a string to point to the journal file
+        config['journal'] = journal_conf
+    config.pop('journals')
+    return config
+
+
 def get_text_from_editor(config, template=""):
     filehandle, tmpfile = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix="jrnl", text=True, suffix=".txt")
     with codecs.open(tmpfile, 'w', "utf-8") as f: