diff --git a/reclass/core.py b/reclass/core.py
index 76bd0a8..b9da0d2 100644
--- a/reclass/core.py
+++ b/reclass/core.py
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
 #import sys
 import fnmatch
 import shlex
+import string
 from reclass.datatypes import Entity, Classes, Parameters
 from reclass.errors import MappingFormatError, ClassNotFound
+from reclass.defaults import AUTOMATIC_RECLASS_PARAMETERS
 
 class Core(object):
 
@@ -114,6 +116,9 @@
         base_entity = Entity(name='base')
         base_entity.merge(self._get_class_mappings_entity(node_entity.name))
         base_entity.merge(self._get_input_data_entity())
+        if AUTOMATIC_RECLASS_PARAMETERS:
+            params = { '_reclass_': { 'name': { 'full': nodename, 'short': string.split(nodename, '.')[0] } } }
+            base_entity.merge_parameters(params)
         seen = {}
         merge_base = self._recurse_entity(base_entity, seen=seen,
                                           nodename=base_entity.name)
diff --git a/reclass/datatypes/entity.py b/reclass/datatypes/entity.py
index 573a28c..1aea3b3 100644
--- a/reclass/datatypes/entity.py
+++ b/reclass/datatypes/entity.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
         self._environment = environment or ''
 
     name = property(lambda s: s._name)
+    short_name = property(lambda s: s._short_name)
     uri = property(lambda s: s._uri)
     environment = property(lambda s: s._environment)
     classes = property(lambda s: s._classes)
@@ -61,6 +62,9 @@
         self._uri = other.uri
         self._environment = other.environment
 
+    def merge_parameters(self, params):
+        self._parameters.merge(params)
+
     def interpolate(self):
         self._parameters.interpolate()
 
diff --git a/reclass/defaults.py b/reclass/defaults.py
index 641aace..2bc27a4 100644
--- a/reclass/defaults.py
+++ b/reclass/defaults.py
@@ -34,3 +34,5 @@
 MERGE_ALLOW_SCALAR_OVER_LIST = False
 MERGE_ALLOW_LIST_OVER_SCALAR = False
 MERGE_ALLOW_DICT_OVER_SCALAR = False
+
+AUTOMATIC_RECLASS_PARAMETERS = True