diff --git a/lib/inspec/targets/dir.rb b/lib/inspec/targets/dir.rb
index 06a689479..8d6e7334d 100644
--- a/lib/inspec/targets/dir.rb
+++ b/lib/inspec/targets/dir.rb
@@ -11,13 +11,11 @@ module Inspec::Targets
     # TODO: remove `test` support for InSpec 1.0
     class ProfileDir
       def handles?(paths)
+        return true if paths.include?('inspec.yml')
         (
           !paths.grep(/^controls/).empty? ||
           !paths.grep(/^test/).empty?
-        ) && (
-          paths.include?('inspec.yml') ||
-          paths.include?('metadata.rb')
-        )
+        ) && paths.include?('metadata.rb')
       end
 
       def get_libraries(paths)
diff --git a/test/unit/mock/profiles/complete-metadata/inspec.yml b/test/unit/mock/profiles/complete-metadata/inspec.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c705f9736
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/mock/profiles/complete-metadata/inspec.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+name: name
+version: 1.2.3
+maintainer: bob
+title: title
+copyright: left
+summary: nothing
+supports: linux
diff --git a/test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-metadata/test/.gitkeep b/test/unit/mock/profiles/empty-metadata/inspec.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-metadata/test/.gitkeep
rename to test/unit/mock/profiles/empty-metadata/inspec.yml
diff --git a/test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-metadata/metadata.rb b/test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-simple-metadata/metadata.rb
similarity index 100%
rename from test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-metadata/metadata.rb
rename to test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-simple-metadata/metadata.rb
diff --git a/test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-simple-metadata/test/.gitkeep b/test/unit/mock/profiles/legacy-simple-metadata/test/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/test/unit/mock/profiles/simple-metadata/inspec.yml b/test/unit/mock/profiles/simple-metadata/inspec.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02cff7e19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/mock/profiles/simple-metadata/inspec.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+name: yumyum profile
diff --git a/test/unit/profile_test.rb b/test/unit/profile_test.rb
index 113a284d9..a26395b27 100644
--- a/test/unit/profile_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/profile_test.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,19 @@ describe Inspec::Profile do
     Inspec::Profile.from_path("#{home}/mock/profiles/#{name}", opts)
   end
 
-  describe 'with empty profile (legacy mode)' do
+  describe 'with an empty profile' do
+    let(:profile) { load_profile('empty-metadata') }
+
+    it 'has no metadata' do
+      profile.params[:name].must_be_nil
+    end
+
+    it 'has no rules' do
+      profile.params[:rules].must_equal({})
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'with an empty profile (legacy mode)' do
     let(:profile) { load_profile('legacy-empty-metadata') }
 
     it 'has no metadata' do
@@ -28,8 +40,20 @@ describe Inspec::Profile do
     end
   end
 
-  describe 'with normal metadata in profile (legacy mode)' do
-    let(:profile) { load_profile('legacy-metadata') }
+  describe 'with simple metadata in profile' do
+    let(:profile) { load_profile('simple-metadata') }
+
+    it 'has metadata' do
+      profile.params[:name].must_equal 'yumyum profile'
+    end
+
+    it 'has no rules' do
+      profile.params[:rules].must_equal({})
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'with simple metadata in profile (legacy mode)' do
+    let(:profile) { load_profile('legacy-simple-metadata') }
 
     it 'has metadata' do
       profile.params[:name].must_equal 'metadata profile'
@@ -41,6 +65,24 @@ describe Inspec::Profile do
   end
 
   describe 'when checking' do
+    describe 'an empty profile' do
+      let(:profile_id) { 'empty-metadata' }
+
+      it 'prints loads of warnings' do
+        logger.expect :info, nil, ["Checking profile in #{home}/mock/profiles/#{profile_id}"]
+        logger.expect :error, nil, ['Missing profile name in inspec.yml']
+        logger.expect :error, nil, ['Missing profile version in inspec.yml']
+        logger.expect :warn, nil, ['Missing profile title in inspec.yml']
+        logger.expect :warn, nil, ['Missing profile summary in inspec.yml']
+        logger.expect :warn, nil, ['Missing profile maintainer in inspec.yml']
+        logger.expect :warn, nil, ['Missing profile copyright in inspec.yml']
+        logger.expect :warn, nil, ['No controls or tests were defined.']
+
+        load_profile(profile_id, {logger: logger}).check
+        logger.verify
+      end
+    end
+
     describe 'an empty profile (legacy mode)' do
       let(:profile_id) { 'legacy-empty-metadata' }
 
@@ -60,6 +102,20 @@ describe Inspec::Profile do
       end
     end
 
+    describe 'a complete metadata profile' do
+      let(:profile_id) { 'complete-metadata' }
+      let(:profile) { load_profile(profile_id, {logger: logger}) }
+
+      it 'prints ok messages' do
+        logger.expect :info, nil, ["Checking profile in #{home}/mock/profiles/#{profile_id}"]
+        logger.expect :info, nil, ['Metadata OK.']
+        logger.expect :warn, nil, ['No controls or tests were defined.']
+
+        profile.check
+        logger.verify
+      end
+    end
+
     describe 'a complete metadata profile (legacy mode)' do
       let(:profile_id) { 'legacy-complete-metadata' }
       let(:profile) { load_profile(profile_id, {logger: logger}) }