diff --git a/kas/config.py b/kas/config.py
index fbe775ec..b358d527 100644
--- a/kas/config.py
+++ b/kas/config.py
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ def __init__(self, ctx, filename, target=None, task=None):
 
         self.filenames = [os.path.abspath(configfile)
                           for configfile in filename.split(':')]
-        top_repo_path = Repo.get_root_path(
-            os.path.dirname(self.filenames[0]))
 
         repo_paths = [Repo.get_root_path(os.path.dirname(configfile),
                                          fallback=False)
@@ -65,9 +63,7 @@ def __init__(self, ctx, filename, target=None, task=None):
 
         update = ctx.args.update if hasattr(ctx.args, 'update') else False
 
-        self.handler = IncludeHandler(self.filenames,
-                                      top_repo_path,
-                                      not update)
+        self.handler = IncludeHandler(self.filenames, None, not update)
         self.repo_dict = self._get_repo_dict()
         self.repo_cfg_hashes = {}
 
diff --git a/kas/includehandler.py b/kas/includehandler.py
index c0ae593c..4ed1b2b2 100644
--- a/kas/includehandler.py
+++ b/kas/includehandler.py
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ class IncludeHandler:
         current file, or as a dictionary. The dictionary must have a
         'file' key containing the path to the include file and a 'repo'
         key containing the key of the repository. The path is interpreted
-        relative to the repository root path.
+        relative to the repository root path. If no top_repo_path is provided,
+        the path is lazy resolved by the first access of a method.
 
         The includes are read and merged from the deepest level upwards.
 
@@ -150,6 +151,13 @@ def get_lockfile(self, kasfile=None):
         return file.parent / (file.stem + '.lock' + file.suffix)
 
     def get_top_repo_path(self):
+        """
+        Lazy resolve top repo path as we might need a prepared environment
+        """
+        from kas.repos import Repo
+        if not self.top_repo_path:
+            self.top_repo_path = \
+                Repo.get_root_path(os.path.dirname(self.top_files[0]))
         return self.top_repo_path
 
     def get_config(self, repos=None):
@@ -304,7 +312,7 @@ def _internal_dict_merge(dest, upd):
         missing_repos = []
         for configfile in self.top_files:
             cfgs, reps = _internal_include_handler(configfile,
-                                                   self.top_repo_path)
+                                                   self.get_top_repo_path())
             configs.extend(cfgs)
             for repo in reps:
                 if repo not in missing_repos: