diff --git a/src/SparseMatrixCSR.jl b/src/SparseMatrixCSR.jl
index 58f31f0..b3731bd 100644
--- a/src/SparseMatrixCSR.jl
+++ b/src/SparseMatrixCSR.jl
@@ -55,6 +55,20 @@ function SparseMatrixCSR(a::Transpose{Tv,<:SparseMatrixCSC} where Tv)
   SparseMatrixCSR{1}(size(a,1),size(a,2),at.colptr,rowvals(at),nonzeros(at))
 end
 
+"""
+    SparseMatrixCSR(a::SparseMatrixCSC}
+
+Build a 1-based `SparseMatrixCSR` from a `SparseMatrixCSC`. 
+"""
+SparseMatrixCSR(a::SparseMatrixCSC) = SparseMatrixCSR(transpose(sparse(transpose(a))))
+
+"""
+    SparseMatrixCSR(a::AbstractMatrix}
+
+Build a 1-based `SparseMatrixCSR` from an `AbstractMatrix`. 
+"""
+SparseMatrixCSR(a::AbstractMatrix) = SparseMatrixCSR(sparse(a))
+
 """
     SparseMatrixCSR{Bi}(a::Transpose{Tv,<:SparseMatrixCSC} where Tv) where Bi
 
diff --git a/test/SparseMatrixCSR.jl b/test/SparseMatrixCSR.jl
index f9ef797..79363a4 100644
--- a/test/SparseMatrixCSR.jl
+++ b/test/SparseMatrixCSR.jl
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ function test_csr(Bi,Tv,Ti)
   mul!(z,CSC,x)
   @test y ≈ z
 
+  # test constructors
+  @test CSR == SparseMatrixCSR(CSC)
+  @test CSR == SparseMatrixCSR(Matrix(CSC))
+
   _CSR = copy(CSR)
   out = LinearAlgebra.rmul!(CSR,-1)
   @test out === CSR