diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b797d701..3e8f9247 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ A lightweight and fast control to render a select component that can display hie
     - [radioSelect](#radioSelect)
   - [showPartiallySelected](#showpartiallyselected)
   - [showDropdown](#showDropdown)
-  - [showDropdownAlways](#showDropdownAlways)
+    - [initial](#initial)
+    - [always](#always)
   - [form states (disabled|readOnly)](#formstates)
   - [id](#id)
 - [Styling and Customization](#styling-and-customization)
@@ -358,15 +359,17 @@ If set to true, shows checkboxes in a partial state when one, but not all of the
 
 ### showDropdown
 
-Type: `bool` (default: `false`)
+Type: `string`
 
-If set to true, shows the dropdown when rendered. This can be used to render the component with the dropdown open as its initial state.
+Let's you choose the rendered state of the dropdown.
 
-### showDropdownAlways
+#### initial
 
-Type: `bool`
+`showDropdown: initial` shows the dropdown when rendered. This can be used to render the component with the dropdown open as its initial state.
+
+#### always
 
-If set to true, always shows the dropdown when rendered, and toggling dropdown will be disabled.
+`showDropdown: always` shows the dropdown when rendered, and keeps it visible at all times. Toggling dropdown is disabled.
 
 ### form states (disabled|readOnly)
 
diff --git a/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.md b/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.md
index 58ac58de..5db354fa 100644
--- a/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.md
+++ b/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.md
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ Generated by [AVA](https://ava.li).
       onBlur={Function onBlur {}}
       onChange={Function onChange {}}
       onFocus={Function onFocus {}}
+      showDropdown="default"
       texts={{}}
     >
       <div
@@ -414,6 +415,7 @@ Generated by [AVA](https://ava.li).
       onBlur={Function onBlur {}}
       onChange={Function onChange {}}
       onFocus={Function onFocus {}}
+      showDropdown="default"
       texts={{}}
     >
       <div
diff --git a/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.snap b/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.snap
index 8edc77e1..e8f286a8 100644
Binary files a/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.snap and b/__snapshots__/src/index.test.js.snap differ
diff --git a/docs/src/stories/Options/index.js b/docs/src/stories/Options/index.js
index a75339b0..00b8bb47 100644
--- a/docs/src/stories/Options/index.js
+++ b/docs/src/stories/Options/index.js
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class WithOptions extends PureComponent {
       showPartiallySelected,
       disabled,
       readOnly,
+      showDropdown,
     } = this.state
 
     return (
@@ -68,6 +69,18 @@ class WithOptions extends PureComponent {
               <option value="hierarchical">Hierarchical</option>
             </select>
           </div>
+          <div style={{ marginBottom: '10px' }}>
+            <label htmlFor={showDropdown}>ShowDropdown: </label>
+            <select
+              id="showDropdown"
+              value={showDropdown}
+              onChange={e => this.setState({ showDropdown: e.target.value })}
+            >
+              <option value="default">--</option>
+              <option value="initial">Initial</option>
+              <option value="always">Always</option>
+            </select>
+          </div>
           <Checkbox
             label="Clear search on selection"
             value="clearSearchOnChange"
@@ -109,6 +122,7 @@ class WithOptions extends PureComponent {
             showPartiallySelected={showPartiallySelected}
             disabled={disabled}
             readOnly={readOnly}
+            showDropdown={showDropdown}
           />
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/src/a11y/a11y.test.js b/src/a11y/a11y.test.js
index 446c3542..c0eaca02 100644
--- a/src/a11y/a11y.test.js
+++ b/src/a11y/a11y.test.js
@@ -44,19 +44,20 @@ test.beforeEach(t => {
   ]
 })
 
-test('regular tree has no a11y exceptions', async t => {
+test('has no a11y exceptions', async t => {
   const { tree } = t.context
   const component = mountToDoc(
     <div>
-      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropDown texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
-      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropDown disabled texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
-      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropDown readOnly texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
-      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropDown mode="simpleSelect" texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
-      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropDown mode="radioSelect" texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
+      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
+      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" disabled texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
+      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" readOnly texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
+      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" mode="simpleSelect" texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
+      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" mode="radioSelect" texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
+      <DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" mode="hierarchical" texts={{ label: 'test' }} />
     </div>
   )
   const domNode = component.getDOMNode()
   const { error, violations } = await run(domNode)
-  t.is(error, null, JSON.stringify(error, null, 4))
-  t.is(violations.length, 0, JSON.stringify(violations, null, 4))
+  t.is(error, null, JSON.stringify(error, null, 2))
+  t.is(violations.length, 0, JSON.stringify(violations, null, 2))
 })
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 6d03592c..f812a41d 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import TreeManager from './tree-manager'
 import keyboardNavigation from './tree-manager/keyboardNavigation'
 
 import styles from './index.css'
+import { getAriaLabel } from './a11y'
 
 const cx = cn.bind(styles)
 
@@ -34,8 +35,7 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
       label: PropTypes.string,
       labelRemove: PropTypes.string,
     }),
-    showDropdown: PropTypes.bool,
-    showDropdownAlways: PropTypes.bool,
+    showDropdown: PropTypes.oneOf(['default', 'initial', 'always']),
     className: PropTypes.string,
     onChange: PropTypes.func,
     onAction: PropTypes.func,
@@ -54,19 +54,19 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
     onBlur: () => {},
     onChange: () => {},
     texts: {},
+    showDropdown: 'default',
   }
 
   constructor(props) {
     super(props)
     this.state = {
-      showDropdown: this.props.showDropdown || this.props.showDropdownAlways || false,
       searchModeOn: false,
       currentFocus: undefined,
     }
     this.clientId = props.id || clientIdGenerator.get(this)
   }
 
-  initNewProps = ({ data, mode, showPartiallySelected }) => {
+  initNewProps = ({ data, mode, showDropdown, showPartiallySelected }) => {
     this.treeManager = new TreeManager({
       data,
       mode,
@@ -78,7 +78,10 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
     if (currentFocusNode) {
       currentFocusNode._focused = true
     }
-    this.setState(this.treeManager.getTreeAndTags())
+    this.setState({
+      showDropdown: /initial|always/.test(showDropdown) || false,
+      ...this.treeManager.getTreeAndTags(),
+    })
   }
 
   resetSearchState = () => {
@@ -92,8 +95,7 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
   }
 
   componentWillMount() {
-    const { data, mode, showPartiallySelected } = this.props
-    this.initNewProps({ data, mode, showPartiallySelected })
+    this.initNewProps(this.props)
   }
 
   componentWillUnmount() {
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
   handleClick = (e, callback) => {
     this.setState(prevState => {
       // keep dropdown active when typing in search box
-      const showDropdown = this.props.showDropdownAlways || this.keepDropdownActive || !prevState.showDropdown
+      const showDropdown = this.props.showDropdown === 'always' || this.keepDropdownActive || !prevState.showDropdown
 
       // register event listeners only if there is a state change
       if (showDropdown !== prevState.showDropdown) {
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
   }
 
   handleOutsideClick = e => {
-    if (this.props.showDropdownAlways || !isOutsideClick(e, this.node)) {
+    if (this.props.showDropdown === 'always' || !isOutsideClick(e, this.node)) {
       return
     }
 
@@ -260,6 +262,17 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
     e.preventDefault()
   }
 
+  getAriaAttributes = () => {
+    const { mode, texts } = this.props
+
+    if (mode !== 'radioSelect') return {}
+
+    return {
+      role: 'radiogroup',
+      ...getAriaLabel(texts.label),
+    }
+  }
+
   render() {
     const { disabled, readOnly, mode, texts } = this.props
     const { showDropdown, currentFocus } = this.state
@@ -298,7 +311,7 @@ class DropdownTreeSelect extends Component {
             />
           </Trigger>
           {showDropdown && (
-            <div className="dropdown-content">
+            <div className="dropdown-content" {...this.getAriaAttributes()}>
               {this.state.allNodesHidden ? (
                 <span className="no-matches">{texts.noMatches || 'No matches found'}</span>
               ) : (
diff --git a/src/index.keyboardNav.test.js b/src/index.keyboardNav.test.js
index dc78779d..3cd039a2 100644
--- a/src/index.keyboardNav.test.js
+++ b/src/index.keyboardNav.test.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ test('can collapse on keyboardNavigation', t => {
 })
 
 test('can navigate searchresult on keyboardNavigation', t => {
-  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown />)
+  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" />)
   wrapper.instance().onInputChange('bb')
   triggerOnKeyboardKeyDown(wrapper, ['b', 'ArrowDown', 'ArrowDown', 'ArrowDown'])
   t.deepEqual(wrapper.find('li.focused').text(), 'bbb 1')
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ test('can delete tags with backspace/delete on keyboardNavigation', t => {
 })
 
 test('remembers current focus between prop updates', t => {
-  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown />)
+  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect data={tree} showDropdown="initial" />)
   t.false(wrapper.find('li.focused').exists())
   triggerOnKeyboardKeyDown(wrapper, ['ArrowDown'])
   t.deepEqual(wrapper.find('li.focused').text(), 'ccc 1')
diff --git a/src/index.test.js b/src/index.test.js
index 9b3e2cb6..c79f22d2 100644
--- a/src/index.test.js
+++ b/src/index.test.js
@@ -76,19 +76,19 @@ test('renders default radio select state', t => {
 
 test('shows dropdown', t => {
   const { tree } = t.context
-  const wrapper = shallow(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown />)
+  const wrapper = shallow(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown="initial" />)
   t.snapshot(toJson(wrapper))
 })
 
 test('always shows dropdown', t => {
   const { tree } = t.context
-  const wrapper = shallow(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdownAlways />)
+  const wrapper = shallow(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown="always" />)
   t.snapshot(toJson(wrapper))
 })
 
-test('keeps dropdown open for showDropdownAlways', t => {
+test('keeps dropdown open for showDropdown: always', t => {
   const { tree } = t.context
-  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdownAlways />)
+  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown="always" />)
   wrapper.instance().handleClick()
   t.true(wrapper.state().showDropdown)
 })
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ test('keeps dropdown open for showDropdownAlways', t => {
 test('notifies on action', t => {
   const handler = spy()
   const { tree } = t.context
-  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} onAction={handler} showDropdown />)
+  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} onAction={handler} showDropdown="initial" />)
   wrapper.find('i.fa-ban').simulate('click')
   t.true(handler.calledWithExactly(node0, action))
 })
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ test('sets search mode on input change', t => {
 
 test('hides dropdown onChange for simpleSelect', t => {
   const { tree } = t.context
-  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} showDropdown data={tree} mode="simpleSelect" />)
+  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} showDropdown="initial" data={tree} mode="simpleSelect" />)
   wrapper.instance().onCheckboxChange(node0._id, true)
   t.false(wrapper.state().searchModeOn)
   t.false(wrapper.state().allNodesHidden)
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ test('hides dropdown onChange for simpleSelect', t => {
 test('keeps dropdown open onChange for simpleSelect and keepOpenOnSelect', t => {
   const { tree } = t.context
   const wrapper = mount(
-    <DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown mode="simpleSelect" keepOpenOnSelect />
+    <DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown="initial" mode="simpleSelect" keepOpenOnSelect />
   )
   wrapper.instance().onCheckboxChange(node0._id, true)
   t.true(wrapper.state().showDropdown)
diff --git a/src/tree-manager/tests/radioSelect.test.js b/src/tree-manager/tests/radioSelect.test.js
index 66d900df..73c18897 100644
--- a/src/tree-manager/tests/radioSelect.test.js
+++ b/src/tree-manager/tests/radioSelect.test.js
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@ const dropdownId = 'rdts'
 const tree = ['nodeA', 'nodeB', 'nodeC'].map(nv => ({ id: nv, label: nv, value: nv }))
 
 test('should render radio inputs with shared name', t => {
-  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} mode="radioSelect" showDropdown />)
+  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} mode="radioSelect" showDropdown="initial" />)
 
   const inputs = wrapper.find('.dropdown-content').find(`input[type="radio"][name="${dropdownId}"]`)
   t.deepEqual(inputs.length, 3)
 })
 
 test('hides dropdown onChange for radioSelect', t => {
-  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown mode="radioSelect" />)
+  const wrapper = mount(<DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown="initial" mode="radioSelect" />)
   wrapper.instance().onCheckboxChange('nodeA', true)
   t.false(wrapper.state().searchModeOn)
   t.false(wrapper.state().allNodesHidden)
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ test('hides dropdown onChange for radioSelect', t => {
 
 test('keeps dropdown open onChange for radioSelect and keepOpenOnSelect', t => {
   const wrapper = mount(
-    <DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown mode="radioSelect" keepOpenOnSelect />
+    <DropdownTreeSelect id={dropdownId} data={tree} showDropdown="initial" mode="radioSelect" keepOpenOnSelect />
   )
   wrapper.instance().onCheckboxChange('nodeA', true)
   t.true(wrapper.state().showDropdown)
diff --git a/src/tree/index.js b/src/tree/index.js
index d8b53c82..71dc577f 100644
--- a/src/tree/index.js
+++ b/src/tree/index.js
@@ -128,12 +128,15 @@ class Tree extends Component {
   }
 
   getAriaAttributes = () => {
-    const { readOnly, mode } = this.props
-    const attributes = {}
+    const { mode } = this.props
+
+    const attributes = {
+      /* https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-1.1/#select
+       * https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-1.1/#tree */
+      role: mode === 'simpleSelect' ? 'listbox' : 'tree',
+      'aria-multiselectable': /multiSelect|hierarchical/.test(mode),
+    }
 
-    attributes.role = mode === 'simpleSelect' ? 'listbox' : 'tree'
-    attributes['aria-multiselectable'] = mode === 'multiSelect' ? 'true' : 'false'
-    attributes['aria-readonly'] = readOnly ? 'true' : 'false'
     return attributes
   }
 
diff --git a/types/react-dropdown-tree-select.d.ts b/types/react-dropdown-tree-select.d.ts
index ebe58afd..cae7f334 100644
--- a/types/react-dropdown-tree-select.d.ts
+++ b/types/react-dropdown-tree-select.d.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ declare module 'react-dropdown-tree-select' {
 
   export type TreeData = Object | TreeNodeProps[]
 
+  export type Mode = 'multiSelect' | 'simpleSelect' | 'radioSelect' | 'hierarchical'
+
+  export type ShowDropdownState = 'default' | 'initial' | 'always'
+
   export interface DropdownTreeSelectProps {
     data: TreeData
     /** Clear the input search if a node has been selected/unselected */
@@ -21,13 +25,10 @@ declare module 'react-dropdown-tree-select' {
     keepOpenOnSelect?: boolean
     /** Texts to override output for */
     texts?: TextProps
-    /** If set to true, shows the dropdown when rendered.
-     * This can be used to render the component with the dropdown open as its initial state
-     */
-    showDropdown?: boolean
-    /** If set to true, always shows the dropdown when rendered, and toggling dropdown will be disabled.
+    /** If set to initial, shows the dropdown when first rendered.
+     * If set to always, shows the dropdown when rendered, and keeps it visible at all times. Toggling dropdown is disabled.
      */
-    showDropdownAlways?: boolean
+    showDropdown?: ShowDropdownState
     /** Additional classname for container.
      * The container renders with a default classname of react-dropdown-tree-select
      */
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ declare module 'react-dropdown-tree-select' {
          *
          *
          * */
-    mode?: 'multiSelect' | 'simpleSelect' | 'radioSelect' | 'hierarchical'
+    mode?: Mode
     /** If set to true, shows checkboxes in a partial state when one, but not all of their children are selected.
      * Allows styling of partially selected nodes as well, by using :indeterminate pseudo class.
      * Simply add desired styles to .node.partial .checkbox-item:indeterminate { ... } in your CSS
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ declare module 'react-dropdown-tree-select' {
   }
 
   export interface DropdownTreeSelectState {
-    showDropdown: boolean
+    showDropdown: ShowDropdownState
     searchModeOn: boolean
     allNodesHidden: boolean
     tree: TreeNode[]