diff --git a/monero/daemon.py b/monero/daemon.py
index f900caa..7f7e73e 100644
--- a/monero/daemon.py
+++ b/monero/daemon.py
@@ -1,14 +1,20 @@
 import six
 
+from .backends.jsonrpc import JSONRPCDaemon
+
 class Daemon(object):
     """Monero daemon.
 
-    Provides interface do a daemon instance.
+    Provides interface to a daemon instance.
 
     :param backend: a daemon backend
+    :param \\**kwargs: arguments to initialize a JSONRPCDaemon instance if no backend is given
     """
-    def __init__(self, backend):
-        self._backend = backend
+    def __init__(self, backend=None, **kwargs):
+        if backend and len(kwargs):
+            raise ValueError('backend already given, other arguments are extraneous')
+
+        self._backend = backend if backend else JSONRPCDaemon(**kwargs)
 
     def info(self):
         """
diff --git a/monero/wallet.py b/monero/wallet.py
index be6a8f3..1759094 100644
--- a/monero/wallet.py
+++ b/monero/wallet.py
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@ from sha3 import keccak_256
 import struct
 
 from . import address
+from .backends.jsonrpc import JSONRPCWallet
 from . import base58
 from . import const
 from . import ed25519
 from . import numbers
 from .transaction import Payment, PaymentManager
 
-
 class Wallet(object):
     """
     Monero wallet.
@@ -26,11 +26,15 @@ class Wallet(object):
     The wallet exposes a number of methods that operate on the default account (of index 0).
 
     :param backend: a wallet backend
+    :param \\**kwargs: arguments to initialize a JSONRPCWallet instance if no backend is given
     """
     accounts = None
 
-    def __init__(self, backend):
-        self._backend = backend
+    def __init__(self, backend=None, **kwargs):
+        if backend and len(kwargs):
+            raise ValueError('backend already given, other arguments are extraneous')
+
+        self._backend = backend if backend else JSONRPCWallet(**kwargs)
         self.incoming = PaymentManager(0, backend, 'in')
         self.outgoing = PaymentManager(0, backend, 'out')
         self.refresh()
diff --git a/tests/test_jsonrpcdaemon.py b/tests/test_jsonrpcdaemon.py
index 34aa9af..cfdf149 100644
--- a/tests/test_jsonrpcdaemon.py
+++ b/tests/test_jsonrpcdaemon.py
@@ -147,3 +147,10 @@ class JSONRPCDaemonTestCase(JSONTestCase):
         blk = self.daemon.block(height=693324)
         self.assertEqual(len(blk.transactions), 105)
         self.assertEqual(len(set(blk.transactions)), 105)
+
+    def test_init(self):
+        daemon1 = Daemon(host='localhost')
+        daemon2 = Daemon()
+
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            daemon3 = Daemon(backend=JSONRPCDaemon(), port=18089)
diff --git a/tests/test_jsonrpcwallet.py b/tests/test_jsonrpcwallet.py
index 5223bca..1e30118 100644
--- a/tests/test_jsonrpcwallet.py
+++ b/tests/test_jsonrpcwallet.py
@@ -1241,3 +1241,15 @@ class JSONRPCWalletTestCase(JSONTestCase):
         self.wallet = Wallet(JSONRPCWallet())
         pmts = self.wallet.incoming(tx_id='1a75f3aa57f7912313e90ab1188b7a102dbb619a324c3db51bb856a2f40503f1')
         self.assertEqual(len(pmts), 1)
+
+    @responses.activate
+    def test_init(self):
+        responses.add(responses.POST, self.jsonrpc_url,
+            json=self._read('test_incoming_from_self__issue_71-00-get_accounts.json'),
+            status=200)
+
+        wallet1 = Wallet(host='127.0.0.1')
+        wallet2 = Wallet()
+
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            wallet3 = Wallet(backend=JSONRPCWallet(), port=18089)