diff --git a/src/button/button.cxx b/src/button/button.cxx
index 2c3018fc..97059de9 100644
--- a/src/button/button.cxx
+++ b/src/button/button.cxx
@@ -44,6 +44,23 @@ Button::Button(unsigned int pin)
     m_name = "Button Sensor";
 }
 
+Button::Button(std::string initStr) : mraaIo(initStr)
+{
+    mraa_io_descriptor* descs = mraaIo.getMraaDescriptors();
+    if(!descs->gpios) {
+        throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                    ": mraa_gpio_init() failed, invalid pin?");
+    } else {
+      if( !(m_gpio = descs->gpios[0]) ) {
+        throw std::invalid_argument(std::string(__FUNCTION__) +
+                                    ": mraa_gpio_init() failed, invalid pin?");
+      }
+    }
+
+    mraa_gpio_dir(m_gpio, MRAA_GPIO_IN);
+    m_name = "Button Sensor";
+}
+
 Button::~Button()
 {
     mraa_gpio_close(m_gpio);
diff --git a/src/button/button.hpp b/src/button/button.hpp
index f90bbe94..a0b2f47c 100644
--- a/src/button/button.hpp
+++ b/src/button/button.hpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <string>
+#include <mraa/initio.hpp>
 #include <mraa/gpio.hpp>
 
 namespace upm {
@@ -62,6 +63,12 @@ class Button{
          * @param pin Pin to use
          */
         Button(unsigned int pin);
+        /**
+         * Instantiates Button/Switch Library based on a given string.
+         *
+         * @param initStr string containing specific information for Button initialization.
+         */
+        Button(std::string initStr);
         /**
          * button destructor
          */
@@ -99,5 +106,6 @@ class Button{
         bool m_isrInstalled;
         std::string m_name;
         mraa_gpio_context m_gpio;
+        mraa::MraaIo mraaIo;
 };
 }