diff --git a/examples/kusama_balance_transfer.rs b/examples/kusama_balance_transfer.rs
index dba35b8771..d3fc44a766 100644
--- a/examples/kusama_balance_transfer.rs
+++ b/examples/kusama_balance_transfer.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     let signer = PairSigner::new(AccountKeyring::Alice.pair());
     let dest = AccountKeyring::Bob.to_account_id().into();
 
-    let client = ClientBuilder::<KusamaRuntime>::new().build().await?;
+	let client = ClientBuilder::<KusamaRuntime>::new().build().await?;
     let hash = client.transfer(&signer, &dest, 10_000).await?;
 
     println!("Balance transfer extrinsic submitted: {}", hash);
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 23a990d694..a647f0c3b7 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ pub struct ClientBuilder<T: Runtime> {
     url: Option<String>,
     client: Option<jsonrpsee::Client>,
     page_size: Option<u32>,
+    mortal_period: Option<Option<u64>>,
 }
 
 impl<T: Runtime> ClientBuilder<T> {
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ impl<T: Runtime> ClientBuilder<T> {
             url: None,
             client: None,
             page_size: None,
+            mortal_period: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -159,6 +161,12 @@ impl<T: Runtime> ClientBuilder<T> {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Set the mortal period. Must be set if `Metadata::derive_mortal_period` results in an error.
+    pub fn set_mortal_period(mut self, mortal_period: u64) -> Self {
+        self.mortal_period = Some(Some(mortal_period));
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Creates a new Client.
     pub async fn build(self) -> Result<Client<T>, Error> {
         let client = if let Some(client) = self.client {
@@ -180,7 +188,18 @@ impl<T: Runtime> ClientBuilder<T> {
         )
         .await;
         let metadata = metadata?;
-        let mortal_period = Some(metadata.derive_mortal_period()?);
+        let mortal_period = if let Some(period) = self.mortal_period {
+			period
+		} else {
+        	match metadata.derive_mortal_period() {
+				Err(e) => {
+					log::error!("`Metadata::derive_mortal_period` failed. Set `mortal_period` prior to invoking `Client::build`.");
+					return Err(e.into())
+				}
+				Ok(period) => Some(period)
+        	}
+		};
+
         Ok(Client {
             rpc,
             genesis_hash: genesis_hash?,
@@ -202,7 +221,7 @@ struct ClientSignedOptions {
     ///
     /// Substrate reference:
     /// https://docs.rs/sp-runtime/2.0.0/sp_runtime/generic/enum.Era.html#variant.Mortal
-    pub mortal_period: Option<u64>,
+    pub(crate) mortal_period: Option<u64>,
 }
 
 /// Client to interface with a substrate node.
diff --git a/src/metadata.rs b/src/metadata.rs
index fd25ef3e24..51c5e6cc52 100644
--- a/src/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/metadata.rs
@@ -40,15 +40,9 @@ use sp_core::storage::StorageKey;
 
 use crate::Encoded;
 
-/// 5 min `mortal_period`in milliseconds, to be adjusted based on expected block time
+/// 5 min `mortal_period` in milliseconds, to be adjusted based on expected block time
 pub const BASELINE_MORTAL_PERIOD: u64 = 5 * 60 * 1000;
 
-/// Fallback `BlockHashCount`
-pub const FALLBACK_BLOCK_HASH_COUNT: u64 = 2_400;
-
-/// Fallback expected block time in milliseconds
-pub const FALLBACK_EXPECTED_BLOCK_TIME: u64 = 6_000;
-
 /// Metadata error.
 #[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
 pub enum MetadataError {
@@ -85,6 +79,9 @@ pub enum MetadataError {
     /// Constant is not in metadata.
     #[error("Constant {0} not found")]
     ConstantNotFound(&'static str),
+    /// A value was 0 when a non-zero value was expected.
+    #[error("A value was unexpectedly 0: {0}")]
+    ZeroValue(&'static str),
 }
 
 /// Runtime metadata.
@@ -175,30 +172,26 @@ impl Metadata {
         string
     }
 
-    /// Derive a default mortal period
+    /// Derive a mortal period
     pub(crate) fn derive_mortal_period(&self) -> Result<u64, MetadataError> {
-        let block_hash_count = if let Ok(system_meta) = self.module("System") {
-            if let Ok(count) = system_meta.constant("BlockHashCount") {
-                count.value::<u32>()?.into()
-            } else {
-                FALLBACK_BLOCK_HASH_COUNT
-            }
-        } else {
-            FALLBACK_BLOCK_HASH_COUNT
-        };
-        let block_time = if let Ok(babe_meta) = self.module("Babe") {
-            if let Ok(milliseconds) = babe_meta.constant("ExpectedBlockTime") {
-                milliseconds.value::<u64>()?
-            } else {
-                FALLBACK_EXPECTED_BLOCK_TIME
-            }
-        } else {
-            FALLBACK_EXPECTED_BLOCK_TIME
-        };
+        let block_hash_count: u64 = self
+            .module("System")
+            .and_then(|sys| sys.constant("BlockHashCount"))
+            .and_then(|count| count.value::<u32>())
+            .map(Into::into)?;
+        let expected_block_time = self
+            .module("Babe")
+            .and_then(|babe| babe.constant("ExpectedBlockTime"))
+            .and_then(|e| e.value::<u64>())?;
 
-        Ok((BASELINE_MORTAL_PERIOD / block_time)
-            .next_power_of_two()
-            .min(block_hash_count.next_power_of_two()))
+        match expected_block_time {
+            0 => Err(MetadataError::ZeroValue("Babe::ExpectedBlockTime")),
+            expected_block_time => {
+                Ok((BASELINE_MORTAL_PERIOD / expected_block_time)
+                    .next_power_of_two()
+                    .min(block_hash_count.next_power_of_two()))
+            }
+        }
     }
 }