diff --git a/common/network-defaults/src/network.rs b/common/network-defaults/src/network.rs
index f870c0b3d0..23ca16dddf 100644
--- a/common/network-defaults/src/network.rs
+++ b/common/network-defaults/src/network.rs
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ impl NymNetworkDetails {
             }
         }
 
+        let nym_api = var(var_names::NYM_API).expect("nym api not set");
+
         NymNetworkDetails::new_empty()
             .with_network_name(var(var_names::NETWORK_NAME).expect("network name not set"))
             .with_bech32_account_prefix(
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ impl NymNetworkDetails {
             })
             .with_additional_validator_endpoint(ValidatorDetails::new(
                 var(var_names::NYXD).expect("nyxd validator not set"),
-                Some(var(var_names::NYM_API).expect("nym api not set")),
+                Some(nym_api.clone()),
                 get_optional_env(var_names::NYXD_WEBSOCKET),
             ))
             .with_mixnet_contract(get_optional_env(var_names::MIXNET_CONTRACT_ADDRESS))
@@ -159,6 +161,10 @@ impl NymNetworkDetails {
             .with_multisig_contract(get_optional_env(var_names::MULTISIG_CONTRACT_ADDRESS))
             .with_coconut_dkg_contract(get_optional_env(var_names::COCONUT_DKG_CONTRACT_ADDRESS))
             .with_nym_vpn_api_url(get_optional_env(var_names::NYM_VPN_API))
+            .with_nym_api_urls(Some(vec![ApiUrl {
+                url: nym_api,
+                front_hosts: None,
+            }]))
     }
 
     pub fn new_mainnet() -> Self {
@@ -348,6 +354,12 @@ impl NymNetworkDetails {
         self
     }
 
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn with_nym_api_urls(mut self, urls: Option<Vec<ApiUrl>>) -> Self {
+        self.nym_api_urls = urls;
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn nym_vpn_api_url(&self) -> Option<Url> {
         self.nym_vpn_api_url.as_ref().map(|url| {
             url.parse()
diff --git a/tools/echo-server/src/lib.rs b/tools/echo-server/src/lib.rs
index 0fdfc7c097..4759f6086a 100644
--- a/tools/echo-server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tools/echo-server/src/lib.rs
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ mod tests {
                 error!("{err}");
                 // this is not an ideal way of checking it, but if test fails due to networking failures
                 // it should be fine to progress
-                if err.to_string().contains("nym api request failed") {
+                let err_str = err.to_string();
+                if err_str.contains("nym api") || err_str.contains("failed to connect") {
                     return Ok(());
                 }
                 return Err(err);
@@ -291,7 +292,8 @@ mod tests {
                 error!("{err}");
                 // this is not an ideal way of checking it, but if test fails due to networking failures
                 // it should be fine to progress
-                if err.to_string().contains("nym api request failed") {
+                let err_str = err.to_string();
+                if err_str.contains("nym api") || err_str.contains("failed to connect") {
                     return Ok(());
                 }
                 return Err(err);