diff --git a/lib/hackrf/hackrf_source_c.cc b/lib/hackrf/hackrf_source_c.cc
index e9e6891..33ab62d 100644
--- a/lib/hackrf/hackrf_source_c.cc
+++ b/lib/hackrf/hackrf_source_c.cc
@@ -102,13 +102,10 @@ hackrf_source_c::hackrf_source_c (const std::string &args)
     _bandwidth(0)
 {
   int ret;
-  std::string *hackrf_serial = NULL;
+  std::string hackrf_serial;
 
   dict_t dict = params_to_dict(args);
 
-  if (dict.count("hackrf") && dict["hackrf"].length() > 0)
-    hackrf_serial = &dict["hackrf"];
-
   _buf_num = _buf_len = _buf_head = _buf_used = _buf_offset = 0;
 
   if (dict.count("buffers"))
@@ -146,10 +143,34 @@ hackrf_source_c::hackrf_source_c (const std::string &args)
   }
 
   _dev = NULL;
-  if ( hackrf_serial )
-    ret = hackrf_open_by_serial( hackrf_serial->c_str(), &_dev );
-  else
+  
+  if (dict.count("hackrf") && dict["hackrf"].length() > 0) {
+    hackrf_serial = dict["hackrf"];
+    
+    if (hackrf_serial.length() > 1) {
+      ret = hackrf_open_by_serial( hackrf_serial.c_str(), &_dev );
+    } else {
+        unsigned int dev_index = 0;
+        try {
+          dev_index = boost::lexical_cast< unsigned int >( hackrf_serial );
+        } catch ( std::exception &ex ) {
+          throw std::runtime_error(
+                "Failed to use '" + hackrf_serial + "' as HackRF device index: " + ex.what());
+        }
+        
+        hackrf_device_list_t *list = hackrf_device_list();
+        if (dev_index < list->devicecount) {
+          ret = hackrf_device_list_open(list, dev_index, &_dev);
+        } else {
+          hackrf_device_list_free(list);
+          throw std::runtime_error(
+                "Failed to use '" + hackrf_serial + "' as HackRF device index: not enough devices");
+        }
+        hackrf_device_list_free(list);
+    }
+  } else
     ret = hackrf_open( &_dev );
+    
   HACKRF_THROW_ON_ERROR(ret, "Failed to open HackRF device")
 
   uint8_t board_id;