diff --git a/Tusker/API/MastodonController.swift b/Tusker/API/MastodonController.swift
index 9c35d8ce..1790720c 100644
--- a/Tusker/API/MastodonController.swift
+++ b/Tusker/API/MastodonController.swift
@@ -27,11 +27,7 @@ class MastodonController: ObservableObject {
         if let controller = all[account] {
             return controller
         } else {
-            let controller = MastodonController(instanceURL: account.instanceURL)
-            controller.accountInfo = account
-            controller.client.clientID = account.clientID
-            controller.client.clientSecret = account.clientSecret
-            controller.client.accessToken = account.accessToken
+            let controller = MastodonController(instanceURL: account.instanceURL, accountInfo: account)
             all[account] = controller
             return controller
         }
@@ -72,11 +68,15 @@ class MastodonController: ObservableObject {
         accountInfo != nil
     }
 
-    init(instanceURL: URL, transient: Bool = false) {
+    init(instanceURL: URL, accountInfo: UserAccountInfo?) {
         self.instanceURL = instanceURL
-        self.accountInfo = nil
+        self.accountInfo = accountInfo
         self.client = Client(baseURL: instanceURL, session: .appDefault)
-        self.transient = transient
+        self.transient = accountInfo == nil
+        
+        self.client.clientID = accountInfo?.clientID
+        self.client.clientSecret = accountInfo?.clientSecret
+        self.client.accessToken = accountInfo?.accessToken
         
         $instance
             .combineLatest($nodeInfo)
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ class MastodonController: ObservableObject {
             .store(in: &cancellables)
     }
     
+    convenience init(instanceURL: URL, transient: Bool) {
+        precondition(transient, "account info must be provided if transient is false")
+        self.init(instanceURL: instanceURL, accountInfo: nil)
+    }
+    
     @discardableResult
     func run<Result>(_ request: Request<Result>, completion: @escaping Client.Callback<Result>) -> URLSessionTask? {
         return client.run(request, completion: completion)