diff --git a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.cpp b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.cpp
index 0c2c508bd..b4bf5efac 100644
--- a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.cpp
+++ b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ size_t FabricKey::key_value(const FabricKeyId& key_id) const {
   return key_values_[key_id]; 
 }
 
+/* Access the alias of a key */
+std::string FabricKey::key_alias(const FabricKeyId& key_id) const {
+  /* validate the key_id */
+  VTR_ASSERT(valid_key_id(key_id));
+  return key_alias_[key_id]; 
+}
+
 bool FabricKey::empty() const {
   return 0 == key_ids_.size();
 }
@@ -48,6 +55,7 @@ void FabricKey::reserve_keys(const size_t& num_keys) {
   key_ids_.reserve(num_keys);
   key_names_.reserve(num_keys);
   key_values_.reserve(num_keys);
+  key_alias_.reserve(num_keys);
 }
 
 /* Create a new key and add it to the library, return an id */
@@ -57,6 +65,7 @@ FabricKeyId FabricKey::create_key() {
   key_ids_.push_back(key);
   key_names_.emplace_back();
   key_values_.emplace_back();
+  key_alias_.emplace_back();
   
   return key;
 }
@@ -77,6 +86,14 @@ void FabricKey::set_key_value(const FabricKeyId& key_id,
   key_values_[key_id] = value;
 }
 
+void FabricKey::set_key_alias(const FabricKeyId& key_id,
+                              const std::string& alias) {
+  /* validate the key_id */
+  VTR_ASSERT(valid_key_id(key_id));
+
+  key_alias_[key_id] = alias;
+}
+
 /************************************************************************
  * Internal invalidators/validators 
  ***********************************************************************/
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.h b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.h
index 053e32e56..4ca678722 100644
--- a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.h
+++ b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/fabric_key.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class FabricKey {
   public: /* Public Accessors: Basic data query */
     std::string key_name(const FabricKeyId& key_id) const;
     size_t key_value(const FabricKeyId& key_id) const;
+    std::string key_alias(const FabricKeyId& key_id) const;
     bool empty() const;
   public: /* Public Mutators: model-related */
     void reserve_keys(const size_t& num_keys);
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ class FabricKey {
                       const std::string& name);
     void set_key_value(const FabricKeyId& key_id,
                        const size_t& value);
+    void set_key_alias(const FabricKeyId& key_id,
+                       const std::string& alias);
   public: /* Public invalidators/validators */
     bool valid_key_id(const FabricKeyId& key_id) const;
   private: /* Internal data */
@@ -55,6 +58,9 @@ class FabricKey {
 
     /* Values for each key */
     vtr::vector<FabricKeyId, size_t> key_values_;
+
+    /* Optional alias for each key, with which a key can also be represented */
+    vtr::vector<FabricKeyId, std::string> key_alias_;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/read_xml_fabric_key.cpp b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/read_xml_fabric_key.cpp
index 8b1f03f11..291352eaa 100644
--- a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/read_xml_fabric_key.cpp
+++ b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/read_xml_fabric_key.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ void read_xml_component_key(pugi::xml_node& xml_component_key,
 
   fabric_key.set_key_name(FabricKeyId(id), name);
   fabric_key.set_key_value(FabricKeyId(id), value);
+
+  /* If we have an alias, set the value as well */
+  const std::string& alias = get_attribute(xml_component_key, "alias", loc_data, pugiutil::ReqOpt::OPTIONAL).as_string();
+  if (!alias.empty()) {
+    fabric_key.set_key_alias(FabricKeyId(id), alias);
+  }
 }
 
 /********************************************************************
diff --git a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/write_xml_fabric_key.cpp b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/write_xml_fabric_key.cpp
index 1697f94a6..305d6d67e 100644
--- a/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/write_xml_fabric_key.cpp
+++ b/libopenfpga/libfabrickey/src/write_xml_fabric_key.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ int write_xml_fabric_component_key(std::fstream& fp,
   write_xml_attribute(fp, "name", fabric_key.key_name(component_key).c_str());
   write_xml_attribute(fp, "value", fabric_key.key_value(component_key));
 
+  if (!fabric_key.key_alias(component_key).empty()) {
+    write_xml_attribute(fp, "alias", fabric_key.key_alias(component_key).c_str());
+  }
+
   fp << "/>" << "\n";
 
   return 0;
diff --git a/openfpga/src/fabric/build_top_module_memory.cpp b/openfpga/src/fabric/build_top_module_memory.cpp
index 158a0f44a..e37c585d2 100644
--- a/openfpga/src/fabric/build_top_module_memory.cpp
+++ b/openfpga/src/fabric/build_top_module_memory.cpp
@@ -429,6 +429,11 @@ int load_top_module_memory_modules_from_fabric_key(ModuleManager& module_manager
 
     /* Find if instance id is valid */
     size_t child_instance = fabric_key.key_value(key);
+    /* If we have alias, we try to find a instance in this name */
+    if (!fabric_key.key_alias(key).empty()) {
+      child_instance = module_manager.instance_id(top_module, child_module, fabric_key.key_alias(key)); 
+    }
+
     if (child_instance >= module_manager.num_instance(top_module, child_module)) {
       VTR_LOGF_ERROR(__FILE__, __LINE__,
                      "Invalid key value '%ld'!\n",
diff --git a/openfpga/src/fabric/fabric_key_writer.cpp b/openfpga/src/fabric/fabric_key_writer.cpp
index 40770965f..1af6d77fd 100644
--- a/openfpga/src/fabric/fabric_key_writer.cpp
+++ b/openfpga/src/fabric/fabric_key_writer.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ int write_fabric_key_to_xml_file(const ModuleManager& module_manager,
     FabricKeyId key = fabric_key.create_key();
     fabric_key.set_key_name(key, module_manager.module_name(child_module));
     fabric_key.set_key_value(key, child_instance);
+
+    if (false == module_manager.instance_name(top_module, child_module, child_instance).empty()) {
+      fabric_key.set_key_alias(key, module_manager.instance_name(top_module, child_module, child_instance));
+    }
   }
 
   VTR_LOGV(verbose,