diff --git a/include/SerialPort.h b/include/SerialPort.h
index 486d686..9612a45 100644
--- a/include/SerialPort.h
+++ b/include/SerialPort.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class SerialPort
     COMSTAT status;
     DWORD errors;
 public:
-    SerialPort(char *portName);
+    SerialPort(char *portName, DWORD baudRate = CBR_9600);
     ~SerialPort();
 
     int readSerialPort(char *buffer, unsigned int buf_size);
diff --git a/src/SerialPort.cpp b/src/SerialPort.cpp
index 6bc5386..04056ea 100644
--- a/src/SerialPort.cpp
+++ b/src/SerialPort.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "SerialPort.h"
 
-SerialPort::SerialPort(char *portName)
+SerialPort::SerialPort(char *portName, DWORD baudRate)
 {
     this->connected = false;
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ SerialPort::SerialPort(char *portName)
             printf("failed to get current serial parameters");
         }
         else {
-            dcbSerialParameters.BaudRate = CBR_9600;
+            dcbSerialParameters.BaudRate = baudRate;
             dcbSerialParameters.ByteSize = 8;
             dcbSerialParameters.StopBits = ONESTOPBIT;
             dcbSerialParameters.Parity = NOPARITY;