diff --git a/examples/account/config.rs b/examples/account/config.rs
index 0eaedf8457..d58dcdc37c 100644
--- a/examples/account/config.rs
+++ b/examples/account/config.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use identity::account::Account;
 use identity::account::AccountStorage;
 use identity::account::AutoSave;
 use identity::account::Result;
+use identity::iota::Network;
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> Result<()> {
@@ -20,6 +21,14 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     .dropsave(false) // save the account state on drop
     .milestone(4) // save a snapshot every 4 actions
     .storage(AccountStorage::Memory) // use the default in-memory storage adapter
+    // configure the mainnet Tangle client
+    .client(Network::Mainnet, |builder| {
+      builder
+        .node("https://chrysalis-nodes.iota.org")
+        .unwrap() // unwrap is safe, we provided a valid node URL
+        .permanode("https://chrysalis-chronicle.iota.org/api/mainnet/", None, None)
+        .unwrap() // unwrap is safe, we provided a valid permanode URL
+    })
     .build()
     .await?;
 
diff --git a/identity-account/src/account/account.rs b/identity-account/src/account/account.rs
index 1068aef5e1..c931e6ce6c 100644
--- a/identity-account/src/account/account.rs
+++ b/identity-account/src/account/account.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use identity_did::verification::MethodType;
 use identity_iota::did::DocumentDiff;
 use identity_iota::did::IotaDID;
 use identity_iota::did::IotaDocument;
+use identity_iota::tangle::Client;
 use identity_iota::tangle::ClientMap;
 use identity_iota::tangle::MessageId;
 use identity_iota::tangle::TangleResolve;
@@ -93,6 +94,10 @@ impl Account {
     self.state.actions.load(OSC)
   }
 
+  pub fn set_client(&self, client: Client) -> Result<()> {
+    self.state.clients.insert(client).map_err(Into::into)
+  }
+
   // ===========================================================================
   // Identity
   // ===========================================================================
diff --git a/identity-account/src/account/builder.rs b/identity-account/src/account/builder.rs
index d12b9a0266..03cf4decb2 100644
--- a/identity-account/src/account/builder.rs
+++ b/identity-account/src/account/builder.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 // Copyright 2020-2021 IOTA Stiftung
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+use hashbrown::HashMap;
+use identity_iota::tangle::ClientBuilder;
+use identity_iota::tangle::Network;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use zeroize::Zeroize;
 
@@ -25,6 +28,7 @@ pub enum AccountStorage {
 pub struct AccountBuilder {
   config: Config,
   storage: AccountStorage,
+  clients: Option<HashMap<Network, ClientBuilder>>,
 }
 
 impl AccountBuilder {
@@ -33,6 +37,7 @@ impl AccountBuilder {
     Self {
       config: Config::new(),
       storage: AccountStorage::Memory,
+      clients: None,
     }
   }
 
@@ -60,10 +65,22 @@ impl AccountBuilder {
     self
   }
 
+  /// Apply configuration to the IOTA Tangle client for the given `Network`.
+  pub fn client<F>(mut self, network: Network, f: F) -> Self
+  where
+    F: FnOnce(ClientBuilder) -> ClientBuilder,
+  {
+    self
+      .clients
+      .get_or_insert_with(HashMap::new)
+      .insert(network, f(ClientBuilder::new().network(network)));
+    self
+  }
+
   /// Creates a new [Account] based on the builder configuration.
-  pub async fn build(self) -> Result<Account> {
-    match self.storage {
-      AccountStorage::Memory => Account::with_config(MemStore::new(), self.config).await,
+  pub async fn build(mut self) -> Result<Account> {
+    let account: Account = match self.storage {
+      AccountStorage::Memory => Account::with_config(MemStore::new(), self.config).await?,
       AccountStorage::Stronghold(snapshot, password) => {
         let passref: Option<&str> = password.as_deref();
         let adapter: Stronghold = Stronghold::new(&snapshot, passref).await?;
@@ -72,10 +89,18 @@ impl AccountBuilder {
           password.zeroize();
         }
 
-        Account::with_config(adapter, self.config).await
+        Account::with_config(adapter, self.config).await?
+      }
+      AccountStorage::Custom(adapter) => Account::with_config(adapter, self.config).await?,
+    };
+
+    if let Some(clients) = self.clients.take() {
+      for (_, client) in clients.into_iter() {
+        account.set_client(client.build().await?)?;
       }
-      AccountStorage::Custom(adapter) => Account::with_config(adapter, self.config).await,
     }
+
+    Ok(account)
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/identity-iota/src/tangle/client_map.rs b/identity-iota/src/tangle/client_map.rs
index 5f78cf1377..04d74ea2ba 100644
--- a/identity-iota/src/tangle/client_map.rs
+++ b/identity-iota/src/tangle/client_map.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ impl ClientMap {
     Client::from_builder(builder).await.map(Self::from_client)
   }
 
+  pub fn insert(&self, client: Client) -> Result<()> {
+    self
+      .data
+      .write()
+      .map_err(|_| Error::SharedWritePoisoned)?
+      .insert(client.network, Arc::new(client));
+
+    Ok(())
+  }
+
   pub async fn publish_document(&self, document: &IotaDocument) -> Result<Receipt> {
     let network: Network = document.id().network();
     let client: Arc<Client> = self.client(network).await?;