diff --git a/exim/config/file.sls b/exim/config/file.sls
index a37e12a..6d57b46 100644
--- a/exim/config/file.sls
+++ b/exim/config/file.sls
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ exim/config/install:
 {%- if salt['pillar.get']('exim:files') %}
 {%- for dir in exim.sub_dirs %}
   {%- for file in salt['pillar.get']('exim:files:' + dir, {}) %}
-{{ exim.config_dir }}/conf.d/{{ dir }}/{{ file }}:
+  {% set config_subdir_path = '/conf.d/' ~ dir ~ '/' if dir != 'base' else '/' %}
+{{ exim.config_dir }}{{ config_subdir_path }}/{{ file }}:
   file.managed:
     - contents_pillar: exim:files:{{ dir }}:{{ file }}
     - require:
diff --git a/exim/defaults.yaml b/exim/defaults.yaml
index 4d20b9d..53b2b1e 100644
--- a/exim/defaults.yaml
+++ b/exim/defaults.yaml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ exim:
     smarthost: []
     cfilemode: '644'
   sub_dirs:
+    - base
     - main
     - acl
     - router
diff --git a/exim/service/running.sls b/exim/service/running.sls
index 8b08a3a..aca017e 100644
--- a/exim/service/running.sls
+++ b/exim/service/running.sls
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ exim/service/running:
   service.running:
     - name: {{ exim.service }}
     - enable: true
-    - require:
+    - reload: true
+    - watch:
       - sls: {{ sls_config_file }}
diff --git a/pillar.example b/pillar.example
index e5df0b5..982781d 100644
--- a/pillar.example
+++ b/pillar.example
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ exim:
   aliases:
     root: root@bar.baz
   files:
+    # 'base' dir files will be located under the main CONFDIR (/etc/exim4)
+    # this allows you to write files like `/etc/exim4/exim4.conf.localmacros`
+    # or `/etc/exim4/passwd.client`
+    base:
+      'passwd.client': |
+        # <server>:<username>:<user password>
+        *:mymail@example.com:abdc1243
     main:
       '01_exim4-config_listmacrosdefs': |
         exim_path = /usr/sbin/exim4
diff --git a/test/integration/default/controls/config_spec.rb b/test/integration/default/controls/config_spec.rb
index 37f2f94..90a3c25 100644
--- a/test/integration/default/controls/config_spec.rb
+++ b/test/integration/default/controls/config_spec.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@
     its('content') { should include 'foo.bar.baz' }
   end
 
+  describe file('/etc/exim4/passwd.client') do
+    # Custom config
+    its('content') { should include '*:mymail@example.com:abdc1243' }
+  end
+
   describe file('/etc/aliases') do
     # Custom config
     its('content') { should include 'root: root@bar.baz' }
diff --git a/test/salt/pillar/exim.sls b/test/salt/pillar/exim.sls
index c42ebb3..e78b55b 100644
--- a/test/salt/pillar/exim.sls
+++ b/test/salt/pillar/exim.sls
@@ -13,3 +13,8 @@ exim:
   mailname: foo.bar.baz
   aliases:
     root: root@bar.baz
+  files:
+    base:
+      'passwd.client': |
+        # <server>:<username>:<user password>
+        *:mymail@example.com:abdc1243