diff --git a/api/mraa/led.h b/api/mraa/led.h
index eec88e1..5233918 100644
--- a/api/mraa/led.h
+++ b/api/mraa/led.h
@@ -46,16 +46,24 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 typedef struct _led* mraa_led_context;
 
+/**
+ * Initialise led_context, based on led index.
+ *
+ *  @param led ID of the LED
+ *  @returns LED context or NULL
+ */
+mraa_led_context mraa_led_init(int led);
+
 /**
  * Initialise led_context, based on led function name.
  * The structure of LED entry in sysfs is "devicename:colour:function"
  * This api expects only one unique LED identifier which would be
- * "function" name most often. For instance, `mraa_led_init("user4");`
+ * "function" name most often. For instance, `mraa_led_init_raw("user4");`
  *
- *  @param led Name of the LED
+ *  @param led_dev Name of the LED device
  *  @returns LED context or NULL
  */
-mraa_led_context mraa_led_init(const char* led);
+mraa_led_context mraa_led_init_raw(const char* led_dev);
 
 /**
  * Set LED brightness
diff --git a/api/mraa/led.hpp b/api/mraa/led.hpp
index 542e032..dcbc37a 100644
--- a/api/mraa/led.hpp
+++ b/api/mraa/led.hpp
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ class Led
     /**
      * Instantiates an LED object
      *
-     * @param led LED fuction name to use
+     * @param led LED index to use
      */
-    Led(const char* led)
+    Led(int led)
     {
         m_led = mraa_led_init(led);
 
@@ -55,6 +55,20 @@ class Led
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Instantiates an LED object
+     *
+     * @param led_dev LED function name to use
+     */
+    Led(std::string led_dev)
+    {
+        m_led = mraa_led_init_raw(led_dev.c_str());
+
+        if (m_led == NULL) {
+            throw std::invalid_argument("Invalid LED name specified");
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * LED Constructor, takes a pointer to a LED context and initialises
      * the LED class
diff --git a/include/arm/96boards.h b/include/arm/96boards.h
index 04d052b..dc95d0d 100644
--- a/include/arm/96boards.h
+++ b/include/arm/96boards.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define MRAA_96BOARDS_LS_SPI_COUNT  1
 #define MRAA_96BOARDS_LS_UART_COUNT 2
 #define MRAA_96BOARDS_LS_PIN_COUNT  40
+#define MRAA_96BOARDS_LED_COUNT 6
 
 mraa_board_t* mraa_96boards();
 
diff --git a/include/mraa_internal_types.h b/include/mraa_internal_types.h
index a64c7fa..beee8ad 100644
--- a/include/mraa_internal_types.h
+++ b/include/mraa_internal_types.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 #define MAX_AIO_COUNT 7
 #define MAX_UART_COUNT 6
 #define MAX_PWM_COUNT 6
-
+#define MAX_LED_COUNT 12
 
 // general status failures for internal functions
 #define MRAA_PLATFORM_NO_INIT -3
@@ -454,6 +454,16 @@ typedef struct {
     /*@}*/
 } mraa_aio_dev_t;
 
+/**
+ * Structure representing an LED device.
+ */
+typedef struct {
+    /*@{*/
+    char *name; /**< LED device function name */
+    unsigned int index; /**< Index as exposed in the platform */
+    /*@}*/
+} mraa_led_dev_t;
+
 /**
  * A Structure representing a platform/board.
  */
@@ -490,6 +500,8 @@ typedef struct _board_t {
     mraa_adv_func_t* adv_func;    /**< Pointer to advanced function disptach table */
     struct _board_t* sub_platform;     /**< Pointer to sub platform */
     mraa_boolean_t chardev_capable;  /**< Decide what interface is being used: old sysfs or new char device*/
+    mraa_led_dev_t led_dev[MAX_LED_COUNT]; /**< Array of LED devices */
+    unsigned int led_dev_count; /**< Total onboard LED device count */
     /*@}*/
 } mraa_board_t;
 
diff --git a/src/led/led.c b/src/led/led.c
index b04cd9f..627d5f2 100644
--- a/src/led/led.c
+++ b/src/led/led.c
@@ -127,7 +127,48 @@ mraa_led_init_internal(const char* led)
 }
 
 mraa_led_context
-mraa_led_init(const char* led)
+mraa_led_init(int index)
+{
+    mraa_led_context dev = NULL;
+    char directory[MAX_SIZE];
+    struct stat dir;
+
+    if (plat == NULL) {
+        syslog(LOG_ERR, "led: init: platform not initialised");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (plat->led_dev_count == 0) {
+        syslog(LOG_ERR, "led: init: no led device defined in platform");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (index < 0) {
+        syslog(LOG_ERR, "led: init: led index cannot be negative");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (index >= plat->led_dev_count) {
+        syslog(LOG_ERR, "led: init: requested led above led device count");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    dev = mraa_led_init_internal((char*) plat->led_dev[index].name);
+    if (dev == NULL) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    snprintf(directory, MAX_SIZE, "%s/%s", SYSFS_CLASS_LED, dev->led_name);
+    if (stat(directory, &dir) == 0 && S_ISDIR(dir.st_mode)) {
+        syslog(LOG_NOTICE, "led: init: current user doesn't have access rights for using LED %s", dev->led_name);
+    }
+    strncpy(dev->led_path, (const char*) directory, sizeof(directory));
+
+    return dev;
+}
+
+mraa_led_context
+mraa_led_init_raw(const char* led)
 {
     mraa_led_context dev = NULL;
     char directory[MAX_SIZE];