diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 85e2452f..75217aa6 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # teal.widgets 0.2.0.9000
 
+### Breaking change
+* Added `ignoreInit` argument to `verbatim_popup_srv`. By default this is set to `TRUE`. To use previous behavior set it to `FALSE`.
+
 # teal.widgets 0.2.0
 
 ### Breaking changes
diff --git a/R/verbatim_popup.R b/R/verbatim_popup.R
index c78d943b..00b8c4e1 100644
--- a/R/verbatim_popup.R
+++ b/R/verbatim_popup.R
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ verbatim_popup_ui <- function(id, button_label, ...) {
     shiny::singleton(
       shiny::tags$head(shiny::includeScript(system.file("js/verbatim_popup.js", package = "teal.widgets")))
     ),
-    shiny::actionButton(ns("button"), label = button_label, ...)
+    shiny::uiOutput(ns("container"))
   )
 }
 
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ verbatim_popup_ui <- function(id, button_label, ...) {
 #' @param style (`logical(1)`) whether to style the `verbatim_content` using `styler::style_text`.
 #' If `verbatim_content` is a `condition` or `reactive` holding `condition` then this argument is ignored
 #' @param disabled (`reactive(1)`) the `shiny` reactive value holding a `logical`. The popup button is disabled
-#' when the flag is `TRUE` and enabled otherwise
-#'
+#' when the flag is `TRUE` and enabled otherwise.
+#' In order for this to be used you need to have `shinyjs::useShinyjs()` in the `UI` of your application.
 verbatim_popup_srv <- function(id, verbatim_content, title, style = FALSE, disabled = shiny::reactiveVal(FALSE)) {
   checkmate::assert_string(id)
   checkmate::assert_string(title)
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ verbatim_popup_srv <- function(id, verbatim_content, title, style = FALSE, disab
   checkmate::assert_class(disabled, classes = "reactive")
   moduleServer(id, function(input, output, session) {
     ns <- session$ns
-    disabled_flag_observer(disabled, "button")
+
+    output$container <- renderUI({
+      disabled_flag_observer(disabled, "button")
+      shiny::actionButton(session$ns("button"), label = "my label")
+    })
+
     modal_content <- format_content(verbatim_content, style)
     button_click_observer(
       click_event = shiny::reactive(input$button),
@@ -82,7 +87,8 @@ disabled_flag_observer <- function(disabled_flag, button_id) {
       } else {
         shinyjs::enable(button_id)
       }
-    }
+    },
+    ignoreInit = ignoreInit
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/man/verbatim_popup.Rd b/man/verbatim_popup.Rd
index 45ecc7b4..b92fd2c0 100644
--- a/man/verbatim_popup.Rd
+++ b/man/verbatim_popup.Rd
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ holding any of the above) the content to show in the popup modal window}
 If \code{verbatim_content} is a \code{condition} or \code{reactive} holding \code{condition} then this argument is ignored}
 
 \item{disabled}{(\code{reactive(1)}) the \code{shiny} reactive value holding a \code{logical}. The popup button is disabled
-when the flag is \code{TRUE} and enabled otherwise}
+when the flag is \code{TRUE} and enabled otherwise.
+In order for this to be used you need to have \code{shinyjs::useShinyjs()} in the \code{UI} of your application.}
 }
 \value{
 the UI function returns a \code{shiny.tag.list} object