diff --git a/local-interchain/README.md b/local-interchain/README.md
index 065a2e8fa..7fcb8eea5 100644
--- a/local-interchain/README.md
+++ b/local-interchain/README.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ A simple way to config and run IBC local chain testing environments with any lan
 ## Installing Locally
 
 **Install on Mac / Linux**
+
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/strangelove-ventures/interchaintest.git
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ cd interchaintest/local-interchain
 # If you rename the folder or move it, you need to `make install` the binary again.
 make install
 ```
+
 **Install on Windows**
 
 Follow [this guide](./docs/WINDOWS.md) to setup the Windows OS environment for installing Local Interchain.
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ Follow [this guide](./docs/WINDOWS.md) to setup the Windows OS environment for i
 *(Ending the config file with `_ignored.json` or `_ignore.json` will ignore it from git)*
 
 ### Optional Start Flags
+
     --api-address string             override the default API address (default "127.0.0.1")
     --api-port uint16                override the default API port (default 8080)
     --auth-key string                require an auth key to use the internal API
@@ -129,6 +132,12 @@ Here is a base chain template with every feature the configuration accepts. Acco
         "1317": "1317",
         "9090": "9090"
     },
+    "additional_start_args": [
+         "--keyring-backend","test"
+    ],
+    "env": [
+                "ETH_RPC_URL=https://sepolia.infura.io/v3/key"
+    ],
     "config_file_overrides": [
         {
             "file": "config/config.toml",
@@ -166,4 +175,4 @@ Here is a base chain template with every feature the configuration accepts. Acco
 },
 ```
 
-**NOTE** The `host_port_override` section maps internal ports to the external host. If no ports are overridden, random host ports are assigned as usual.
\ No newline at end of file
+**NOTE** The `host_port_override` section maps internal ports to the external host. If no ports are overridden, random host ports are assigned as usual.
diff --git a/local-interchain/interchain/config.go b/local-interchain/interchain/config.go
index 4b5b685d4..fa8458904 100644
--- a/local-interchain/interchain/config.go
+++ b/local-interchain/interchain/config.go
@@ -201,6 +201,8 @@ func CreateChainConfigs(cfg types.Chain) (ibc.ChainConfig, *interchaintest.Chain
 		EncodingConfig:      nil,
 
 		InterchainSecurityConfig: cfg.ICSVersionOverride,
+		AdditionalStartArgs:      cfg.AdditionalStartArgs,
+		Env:                      cfg.Env,
 	}
 
 	if cfg.DockerImage.Version == "" {
diff --git a/local-interchain/interchain/types/types.go b/local-interchain/interchain/types/types.go
index cbbc4f371..6200a3b2b 100644
--- a/local-interchain/interchain/types/types.go
+++ b/local-interchain/interchain/types/types.go
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ type Chain struct {
 	HostPortOverride    map[string]string     `json:"host_port_override,omitempty" yaml:"host_port_override,omitempty"`
 	ICSConsumerLink     string                `json:"ics_consumer_link,omitempty" yaml:"ics_consumer_link,omitempty"`
 	ICSVersionOverride  ibc.ICSConfig         `json:"ics_version_override,omitempty" yaml:"ics_version_override,omitempty"`
+	AdditionalStartArgs []string              `json:"additional_start_args,omitempty" yaml:"additional_start_args,omitempty"`
+	Env                 []string              `json:"env,omitempty" yaml:"env,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (chain *Chain) Validate() error {