diff --git a/rebench/model/__init__.py b/rebench/model/__init__.py
index ff4b7146..5d2ef3ac 100644
--- a/rebench/model/__init__.py
+++ b/rebench/model/__init__.py
@@ -19,6 +19,34 @@
 # IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
 
+def prefer_important(val, default):
+    if val is None:
+        return default
+    if is_marked_important(val):
+        return val
+    if is_marked_important(default):
+        return default
+    return val
+
+
+def is_marked_important(val):
+    if isinstance(val, int):
+        return False
+    return str(val)[-1] == "!"
+
+
+def remove_important(val):
+    if val is None:
+        return None
+
+    if isinstance(val, int):
+        return val
+
+    if val[-1] == "!":
+        return int(val[:-1])
+    return int(val)
+
+
 def none_or_int(value):
     if value:
         return int(value)
diff --git a/rebench/model/benchmark.py b/rebench/model/benchmark.py
index d66da7fb..c625a05c 100644
--- a/rebench/model/benchmark.py
+++ b/rebench/model/benchmark.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ def compile(cls, bench, suite, data_store):
         codespeed_name = details.get('codespeed_name', None)
 
         run_details = ExpRunDetails.compile(details, suite.run_details)
+        run_details.resolve_override_and_important()
         variables = ExpVariables.compile(details, suite.variables)
 
         return Benchmark(name, command, gauge_adapter, suite,
diff --git a/rebench/model/exp_run_details.py b/rebench/model/exp_run_details.py
index bbdcc616..69f9089e 100644
--- a/rebench/model/exp_run_details.py
+++ b/rebench/model/exp_run_details.py
@@ -17,16 +17,16 @@
 # LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
 # FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS
 # IN THE SOFTWARE.
-from . import none_or_int, none_or_float, none_or_bool
+from . import none_or_int, none_or_float, none_or_bool, remove_important, prefer_important
 
 
 class ExpRunDetails(object):
 
     @classmethod
     def compile(cls, config, defaults):
-        invocations = none_or_int(config.get('invocations', defaults.invocations))
-        iterations = none_or_int(config.get('iterations', defaults.iterations))
-        warmup = none_or_int(config.get('warmup', defaults.warmup))
+        invocations = prefer_important(config.get('invocations'), defaults.invocations)
+        iterations = prefer_important(config.get('iterations'), defaults.iterations)
+        warmup = prefer_important(config.get('warmup'), defaults.warmup)
 
         min_iteration_time = none_or_int(config.get('min_iteration_time',
                                                     defaults.min_iteration_time))
@@ -75,6 +75,19 @@ def __init__(self, invocations, iterations, warmup, min_iteration_time,
         self.invocations_override = invocations_override
         self.iterations_override = iterations_override
 
+    def resolve_override_and_important(self):
+        # resolve overrides
+        if self.invocations_override is not None:
+            self.invocations = self.invocations_override
+
+        if self.iterations_override is not None:
+            self.iterations = self.iterations_override
+
+        # resolve important tags
+        self.invocations = remove_important(self.invocations)
+        self.iterations = remove_important(self.iterations)
+        self.warmup = remove_important(self.warmup)
+
     def as_dict(self):
         return {
             'warmup': self.warmup,
diff --git a/rebench/model/run_id.py b/rebench/model/run_id.py
index c373b87f..93f8efd1 100644
--- a/rebench/model/run_id.py
+++ b/rebench/model/run_id.py
@@ -67,17 +67,11 @@ def retries_after_failure(self):
 
     @property
     def iterations(self):
-        run_details = self.benchmark.run_details
-        if run_details.iterations_override is not None:
-            return run_details.iterations_override
-        return run_details.iterations
+        return self.benchmark.run_details.iterations
 
     @property
     def invocations(self):
-        run_details = self.benchmark.run_details
-        if run_details.invocations_override is not None:
-            return run_details.invocations_override
-        return run_details.invocations
+        return self.benchmark.run_details.invocations
 
     @property
     def completed_invocations(self):
diff --git a/rebench/rebench-schema.yml b/rebench/rebench-schema.yml
index 8d987925..60015146 100644
--- a/rebench/rebench-schema.yml
+++ b/rebench/rebench-schema.yml
@@ -5,19 +5,22 @@ schema;runs_type:
   type: map
   mapping: &EXP_RUN_DETAILS
     invocations:
-      type: int
+      type: text
+      # pattern: \d+!?
       # default: 1  #  can't specify this here, because the defaults override settings
       desc: |
         The number of times an executor is executed a run.
     iterations:
-      type: int
+      type: text
+      # pattern: \d+!?
       # default: 1 #  can't specify this here, because the defaults override settings
       desc: |
         The number of times a run is executed within an executor
         invocation. This needs to be supported by a benchmark harness and
         ReBench passes this value on to the harness or benchmark.
     warmup:
-      type: int
+      type: text
+      # pattern: \d+!?
       desc: |
         Consider the first N iterations as warmup and ignore them in ReBench's summary
         statistics. Note ,they are still persisted in the data file.
diff --git a/rebench/tests/features/issue_169.conf b/rebench/tests/features/issue_169.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5acf1aa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rebench/tests/features/issue_169.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+benchmark_suites:
+  Suite1:
+    command: suite-1 %(benchmark)s %(iterations)s
+    iterations: 30
+    gauge_adapter: Time
+    benchmarks:
+      - Bench1:
+          iterations: 40
+      - Bench2
+
+  Suite2:
+    command: suite-2 %(benchmark)s %(iterations)s
+    invocations: 3
+    gauge_adapter: Time
+    benchmarks:
+      - Bench3
+
+  Suite3:
+    command: suite-3 %(benchmark)s %(iterations)s
+    gauge_adapter: Time
+    benchmarks:
+      - Bench4
+
+executors:
+  TestRunner1:
+    iterations: 10
+    invocations: 1
+    path: .
+    executable: exe-1
+
+  TestRunner2:
+    iterations: 10
+    invocations: 1
+    path: .
+    executable: exe-2
+
+experiments:
+
+  Exp1:
+    suites:
+      - Suite1
+    executions:
+      - TestRunner1
+    iterations: 20
+
+  Exp2:
+    executions:
+      - TestRunner2:
+          suites:
+            - Suite1
+            - Suite2
+            - Suite3
+          invocations: 2
diff --git a/rebench/tests/features/issue_169_config_composition_test.py b/rebench/tests/features/issue_169_config_composition_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f12b4e75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rebench/tests/features/issue_169_config_composition_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+from ..rebench_test_case import ReBenchTestCase
+from ...configurator import Configurator, load_config
+from ...persistence import DataStore
+
+
+class Issue169ConfigCompositionTest(ReBenchTestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(Issue169ConfigCompositionTest, self).setUp()
+        self._set_path(__file__)
+        self.cnf = Configurator(
+            load_config(self._path + '/issue_169.conf'),
+            DataStore(self.ui), self.ui, None, 'all')
+        self.runs = list(self.cnf.get_runs())
+        self.runs = sorted(self.runs, key=lambda e: e.cmdline())
+
+        self.cnf_important = Configurator(
+            load_config(self._path + '/issue_169_important.conf'),
+            DataStore(self.ui), self.ui, None, 'all')
+        self.runs_important = list(self.cnf_important.get_runs())
+        self.runs_important = sorted(self.runs_important, key=lambda e: e.cmdline())
+
+    def _assert(self, run, exe, bench, iterations, invocations):
+        self.assertEqual(run.benchmark.suite.executor.name, exe)
+        self.assertEqual(run.benchmark.name, bench)
+        self.assertEqual(run.iterations, iterations)
+        self.assertEqual(run.invocations, invocations)
+
+    def test_confirm_setting_priority(self):
+        self._assert(self.runs[0], "TestRunner1", "Bench1", 40, 1)
+        self._assert(self.runs[1], "TestRunner1", "Bench2", 30, 1)
+
+        self._assert(self.runs[2], "TestRunner2", "Bench1", 40, 1)
+        self._assert(self.runs[3], "TestRunner2", "Bench2", 30, 1)
+        self._assert(self.runs[4], "TestRunner2", "Bench3", 10, 3)
+        self._assert(self.runs[5], "TestRunner2", "Bench4", 10, 1)
+
+    def test_confirm_setting_priority_with_important_settings(self):
+        self._assert(self.runs_important[0], "TestRunner1", "Bench1", 30, 1)
+        self._assert(self.runs_important[1], "TestRunner1", "Bench2", 30, 1)
+
+        self._assert(self.runs_important[2], "TestRunner2", "Bench1", 30, 2)
+        self._assert(self.runs_important[3], "TestRunner2", "Bench2", 30, 2)
+        self._assert(self.runs_important[4], "TestRunner2", "Bench3", 10, 3)
+        self._assert(self.runs_important[5], "TestRunner2", "Bench4", 10, 2)
diff --git a/rebench/tests/features/issue_169_important.conf b/rebench/tests/features/issue_169_important.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..01ec4f82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rebench/tests/features/issue_169_important.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+benchmark_suites:
+  Suite1:
+    command: suite-1 %(benchmark)s %(iterations)s
+    iterations: 30!
+    gauge_adapter: Time
+    benchmarks:
+      - Bench1:
+          iterations: 40
+      - Bench2
+
+  Suite2:
+    command: suite-2 %(benchmark)s %(iterations)s
+    invocations: 3!
+    gauge_adapter: Time
+    benchmarks:
+      - Bench3
+
+  Suite3:
+    command: suite-3 %(benchmark)s %(iterations)s
+    gauge_adapter: Time
+    benchmarks:
+      - Bench4
+
+executors:
+  TestRunner1:
+    iterations: 10!
+    invocations: 1
+    path: .
+    executable: exe-1
+
+  TestRunner2:
+    iterations: 10
+    invocations: 1
+    path: .
+    executable: exe-2
+
+experiments:
+
+  Exp1:
+    suites:
+      - Suite1
+    executions:
+      - TestRunner1
+    iterations: 20
+
+  Exp2:
+    executions:
+      - TestRunner2:
+          suites:
+            - Suite1
+            - Suite2
+            - Suite3
+          invocations: 2!