diff -u b/core/core.services.yml b/core/core.services.yml
--- b/core/core.services.yml
+++ b/core/core.services.yml
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@
     lazy: true
   profile_handler:
     class: Drupal\Core\Extension\ProfileHandler
-    arguments: ['@info_parser']
+    arguments: ['@app.root', '@info_parser']
   theme_handler:
     class: Drupal\Core\Extension\ThemeHandler
     arguments: ['@app.root', '@config.factory', '@module_handler', '@state', '@info_parser']
diff -u b/core/includes/install.core.inc b/core/includes/install.core.inc
--- b/core/includes/install.core.inc
+++ b/core/includes/install.core.inc
@@ -442,7 +442,10 @@
     }
     // Ensure all profile directories are registered.
     $profile_handler = \Drupal::service('profile_handler');
-    $profile_directories = $profile_handler->getProfileDependencies($profile);
+    $profiles = $profile_handler->getProfiles($profile);
+    $profile_directories = array_map(function($extension) {
+      return $extension->getPath();
+    }, $profiles);
     $listing->setProfileDirectories($profile_directories);
   }
 
@@ -1556,7 +1559,7 @@
  */
 function install_install_profile(&$install_state) {
   $profile_handler = \Drupal::service('profile_handler');
-  $profiles = $profile_handler->getProfileDependencies();
+  $profiles = $profile_handler->getProfiles();
 
   // Install all the profiles.
   \Drupal::service('module_installer')->install(array_keys($profiles), FALSE);
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigInstaller.php
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@
 
     // Install profiles can not have config clashes. Configuration that
     // has the same name as a module's configuration will be used instead.
-    $profiles = $this->profileHandler->getProfileDependencies();
+    $profiles = $this->profileHandler->getProfiles();
     if (!isset($profiles[$name])) {
       // Throw an exception if the module being installed contains configuration
       // that already exists. Additionally, can not continue installing more
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ExtensionInstallStorage.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ExtensionInstallStorage.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ExtensionInstallStorage.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ExtensionInstallStorage.php
@@ -118,15 +118,10 @@
         // this by replacing the config file path from the module/theme with the
         // install profile version if there are any duplicates.
         if (isset($profile)) {
-          if (!isset($profile_list)) {
-            $profile_list = $listing->scan('profile');
-          }
-          $profile_names = \Drupal::service('profile_handler')->getProfileDependencies($profile);
-          foreach ($profile_names as $profile_name => $profile_path) {
-            if (isset($profile_list[$profile_name])) {
-              $profile_folders = $this->getComponentNames(array($profile_list[$profile_name]));
-              $this->folders = $profile_folders + $this->folders;
-            }
+          $profiles = \Drupal::service('profile_handler')->getProfiles($profile);
+          foreach ($profiles as $extension) {
+            $profile_folders = $this->getComponentNames(array($extension));
+            $this->folders = $profile_folders + $this->folders;
           }
         }
       }
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/InstallStorage.php
@@ -156,17 +156,17 @@
       // @todo Remove as part of https://www.drupal.org/node/2186491
       $listing = new ExtensionDiscovery(\Drupal::root());
       $profiles = $listing->scan('profile');
-      foreach ($profiles as $profile_name => $profile_object) {
+      foreach ($profiles as $profile_name => $extension) {
         // Prime the drupal_get_filename() static cache with the profile info
         // file location so we can use drupal_get_path() on the active profile
         // during the module scan.
         // @todo Remove as part of https://www.drupal.org/node/2186491
-        drupal_get_filename('profile', $profile_name, $profile_object->getPathname());
+        drupal_get_filename('profile', $profile_name, $extension->getPathname());
       }
       // Now that we can fetch the path, get dependent profiles and add the extensions
-      $profile_names = \Drupal::service('profile_handler')->getProfileDependencies();
-      foreach ($profile_names as $profile_name => $profile_path) {
-        $this->folders += $this->getComponentNames(array($profiles[$profile_name]));
+      $profiles = \Drupal::service('profile_handler')->getProfiles();
+      foreach ($profiles as $extension) {
+        $this->folders += $this->getComponentNames(array($extension));
       }
       // @todo Remove as part of https://www.drupal.org/node/2186491
       $this->folders += $this->getComponentNames($listing->scan('module'));
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ExtensionDiscovery.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ExtensionDiscovery.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ExtensionDiscovery.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ExtensionDiscovery.php
@@ -253,7 +253,11 @@
       // (@drupalKernel::moduleData) so check if profile_handler is available.
       if (\Drupal::hasService('profile_handler')) {
         $profile_handler = \Drupal::service('profile_handler');
-        $this->profileDirectories = array_merge($profile_handler->getProfileDependencies($profile), $this->profileDirectories);
+        $profiles = $profile_handler->getProfiles($profile);
+        $profile_directories = array_map(function($extension) {
+          return $extension->getPath();
+        }, $profiles);
+        $this->profileDirectories = array_merge($profile_directories, $this->profileDirectories);
       }
       else {
         $this->profileDirectories[] = drupal_get_path('profile', $profile);
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandler.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandler.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandler.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandler.php
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@
   protected static $cache = array();
 
   /**
+   * The app root.
+   *
+   * @var string
+   */
+  protected $root;
+
+  /**
    * The info parser to parse the profile.info.yml files.
    *
    * @var \Drupal\Core\Extension\InfoParserInterface
@@ -26,22 +33,29 @@
   /**
    * Constructs a new ProfileHandler.
    *
+   * @param string $root
+   *   The app root.
    * @param \Drupal\Core\Extension\InfoParserInterface $info_parser
    *   The info parser to parse the profile.info.yml files.
    */
-  public function __construct(InfoParserInterface $info_parser) {
+  public function __construct($root, InfoParserInterface $info_parser) {
+    $this->root = $root;
     $this->infoParser = $info_parser;
   }
 
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
-  public function getProfileDependencies($profile = NULL) {
+  public function getProfiles($profile = NULL) {
+    static $weight;
+
     if (empty($profile)) {
       $profile = drupal_get_profile();
     }
     if (!isset(static::$cache[$profile])) {
       $profiles = array();
+      // Starting weight for profiles ensures their hooks run last.
+      $weight = 1000;
       // Check if a valid profile name was given.
       if (!empty($profile)) {
         // We can't use install_profile_info() because that could trigger an
@@ -49,15 +63,39 @@
         $profile_path = drupal_get_path('profile', $profile);
         $profile_file = $profile_path . "/$profile.info.yml";
         $profile_info = $this->infoParser->parse($profile_file);
+        $type = $profile_info['type'];
 
         // Check of the profile has a base profile and if so add it - recursion.
         $base_profile_name = !empty($profile_info['base profile']['name']) ? $profile_info['base profile']['name'] :
           (!empty($profile_info['base profile']) ? $profile_info['base profile'] : '');
         if ($base_profile_name) {
-          $profiles += $this->getProfileDependencies($base_profile_name);
+          $profiles += $this->getProfiles($base_profile_name);
+          $weight++;
+        }
+
+        $filename = file_exists($profile_path . "/$profile.$type") ? "$profile.$type" : NULL;
+        $extension = new Extension($this->root, $type, $profile_file, $filename);
+
+        // Installation profiles are hidden by default, unless explicitly specified
+        // otherwise in the .info.yml file.
+        if (!isset($profile_info['hidden'])) {
+          $profile_info['hidden'] = TRUE;
+        }
+
+        // The installation profile is required, if it's a valid module.
+        $profile_info['required'] = TRUE;
+        // Add a default distribution name if the profile did not provide one.
+        // @see install_profile_info()
+        // @see drupal_install_profile_distribution_name()
+        if (!isset($profile_info['distribution']['name'])) {
+          $profile_info['distribution']['name'] = 'Drupal';
         }
+
+        $extension->info = $profile_info;
+        $extension->weight = $weight;
+
         // Add requested profile as last one.
-        $profiles[$profile] = $profile_path;
+        $profiles[$profile] = $extension;
       }
       static::$cache[$profile] = $profiles;
     }
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandlerInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandlerInterface.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandlerInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ProfileHandlerInterface.php
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
    *
    * @return array
-   *   List of dependent installation profiles paths keys by profile name
+   *   List of installation profile extensions keyed by profile name
    *   in descending order of their dependencies.
    *   (parent profiles first, main profile last)
    */
-  public function getProfileDependencies($profile = NULL);
+  public function getProfiles($profile = NULL);
 
 }
diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.module b/core/modules/system/system.module
--- b/core/modules/system/system.module
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.module
@@ -963,27 +963,20 @@
   // module scan as the module scan requires knowing what the active profile is.
   // @todo Remove as part of https://www.drupal.org/node/2186491.
   $profiles = $listing->scan('profile');
-  foreach ($profiles as $profile_name => $profile) {
+  foreach ($profiles as $profile_name => $extension) {
     // Prime the drupal_get_filename() static cache with the profile info file
     // location so we can use drupal_get_path() on the active profile during
     // the module scan.
     // @todo Remove as part of https://www.drupal.org/node/2186491.
-    drupal_get_filename('profile', $profile_name, $profile->getPathname());
+    drupal_get_filename('profile', $profile_name, $extension->getPathname());
   }
 
   // Find modules.
   $modules = $listing->scan('module');
 
-  $profile = drupal_get_profile();
-  $profile_names = array_keys(\Drupal::service('profile_handler')->getProfileDependencies($profile));
-  // Include the installation profile in modules that are loaded.
-  $weight = 1000;
-  foreach ($profile_names as $profile_name) {
-    $modules[$profile_name] = $profiles[$profile_name];
-    // Installation profile hooks are always executed last.
-    $modules[$profile_name]->weight = $weight;
-    $weight++;
-  }
+  // Find profiles.
+  $profiles = \Drupal::service('profile_handler')->getProfiles();
+  $modules = array_merge($modules, $profiles);
 
   // Set defaults for module info.
   $defaults = array(
@@ -997,7 +990,9 @@
   // Read info files for each module.
   foreach ($modules as $key => $module) {
     // Look for the info file.
-    $module->info = \Drupal::service('info_parser')->parse($module->getPathname());
+    if (empty($module->info)) {
+      $module->info = \Drupal::service('info_parser')->parse($module->getPathname());
+    }
 
     // Add the info file modification time, so it becomes available for
     // contributed modules to use for ordering module lists.
@@ -1006,12 +1001,6 @@
     // Merge in defaults and save.
     $modules[$key]->info = $module->info + $defaults;
 
-    // Installation profiles are hidden by default, unless explicitly specified
-    // otherwise in the .info.yml file.
-    if (in_array($key, $profile_names) && !isset($modules[$key]->info['hidden'])) {
-      $modules[$key]->info['hidden'] = TRUE;
-    }
-
     // Invoke hook_system_info_alter() to give installed modules a chance to
     // modify the data in the .info.yml files if necessary.
     // @todo Remove $type argument, obsolete with $module->getType().
@@ -1025,18 +1014,6 @@
     _system_rebuild_module_data_ensure_required($module, $modules);
   }
 
-
-  if ($profile && isset($modules[$profile])) {
-    // The installation profile is required, if it's a valid module.
-    $modules[$profile]->info['required'] = TRUE;
-    // Add a default distribution name if the profile did not provide one.
-    // @see install_profile_info()
-    // @see drupal_install_profile_distribution_name()
-    if (!isset($modules[$profile]->info['distribution']['name'])) {
-      $modules[$profile]->info['distribution']['name'] = 'Drupal';
-    }
-  }
-
   return $modules;
 }