diff --git a/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/client.py b/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/client.py
index a62c22deb..5b15914bb 100644
--- a/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/client.py
+++ b/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/client.py
@@ -83,11 +83,10 @@ class Client:
 
     def configure(self, email: str, password: str, **kwargs) -> None:
         """Configure the client."""
-        self.account.set_config("addr", email)
-        self.account.set_config("mail_pw", password)
         for key, value in kwargs.items():
             self.account.set_config(key, value)
-        self.account.configure()
+        params = {"addr": email, "password": password}
+        self.account.add_or_update_transport(params)
         self.logger.debug("Account configured")
 
     def run_forever(self) -> None:
diff --git a/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/pytestplugin.py b/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/pytestplugin.py
index 5b7a3907a..2f8324277 100644
--- a/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/pytestplugin.py
+++ b/deltachat-rpc-client/src/deltachat_rpc_client/pytestplugin.py
@@ -73,11 +73,12 @@ class ACFactory:
     def resetup_account(self, ac: Account) -> Account:
         """Resetup account from scratch, losing the encryption key."""
         ac.stop_io()
-        ac_clone = self.get_unconfigured_account()
-        for i in ["addr", "mail_pw"]:
-            ac_clone.set_config(i, ac.get_config(i))
+        addr = ac.get_config("addr")
+        password = ac.get_config("mail_pw")
         ac.remove()
-        ac_clone.configure()
+        ac_clone = self.get_unconfigured_account()
+        params = {"addr": addr, "password": password}
+        ac_clone.add_or_update_transport(params)
         return ac_clone
 
     def get_accepted_chat(self, ac1: Account, ac2: Account) -> Chat:
diff --git a/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_key_transfer.py b/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_key_transfer.py
index 2fc2143fa..44229f57f 100644
--- a/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_key_transfer.py
+++ b/deltachat-rpc-client/tests/test_key_transfer.py
@@ -18,9 +18,7 @@ def test_autocrypt_setup_message_key_transfer(acfactory):
     alice1 = acfactory.get_online_account()
 
     alice2 = acfactory.get_unconfigured_account()
-    alice2.set_config("addr", alice1.get_config("addr"))
-    alice2.set_config("mail_pw", alice1.get_config("mail_pw"))
-    alice2.configure()
+    alice2.add_or_update_transport({"addr": alice1.get_config("addr"), "password": alice1.get_config("mail_pw")})
     alice2.bring_online()
 
     setup_code = alice1.initiate_autocrypt_key_transfer()
@@ -37,9 +35,7 @@ def test_ac_setup_message_twice(acfactory):
     alice1 = acfactory.get_online_account()
 
     alice2 = acfactory.get_unconfigured_account()
-    alice2.set_config("addr", alice1.get_config("addr"))
-    alice2.set_config("mail_pw", alice1.get_config("mail_pw"))
-    alice2.configure()
+    alice2.add_or_update_transport({"addr": alice1.get_config("addr"), "password": alice1.get_config("mail_pw")})
     alice2.bring_online()
 
     # Send the first Autocrypt Setup Message and ignore it.