diff --git a/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/__init__.py b/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/__init__.py
index 0e637ed..8f5a987 100644
--- a/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/__init__.py
+++ b/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 __version__ = version("jpyc-core-sdk")
 __all__ = [
-    # "__version__",
     # client
     "SdkClient",
     # jpyc
diff --git a/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/client.py b/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/client.py
index 01ee77b..d2bafea 100644
--- a/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/client.py
+++ b/packages/core/jpyc_core_sdk/client.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from eth_account.signers.local import LocalAccount
 from pydantic import validate_call
 from web3 import Account, HTTPProvider, Web3
+from web3._utils.empty import empty
 from web3.middleware import (
     ExtraDataToPOAMiddleware,
     SignAndSendRawMiddlewareBuilder,
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ def __configure_w3(
                 layer=0,
             )
         else:
-            w3.eth.default_account = None  # type: ignore[assignment]
+            w3.eth.default_account = empty
 
         return w3
 
diff --git a/packages/core/pyproject.toml b/packages/core/pyproject.toml
index c006a48..8785e90 100644
--- a/packages/core/pyproject.toml
+++ b/packages/core/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "jpyc-core-sdk"
-version = "1.0.3"
+version = "1.0.4"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
 license = "MIT"
 description = "A Python SDK for interacting with JPYCv2 contracts"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 01b294c..35c5fdc 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "jpyc-python-sdks"
-version = "1.0.3"
+version = "1.0.4"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
 description = "Python SDKs for JPYC protocols"
 readme = "README.md"
diff --git a/tests/core/test_client.py b/tests/core/test_client.py
index b42b7dd..707043d 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_client.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from pydantic import ValidationError
 import pytest
 from web3 import Web3
+from web3._utils.empty import empty
 
 from packages.core.jpyc_core_sdk.client import SdkClient
 from packages.core.jpyc_core_sdk.utils.chains import get_default_rpc_endpoint
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ def test_constructor(
     )
     if private_key is None:
         assert client.account is None
+        assert client.w3.eth.default_account == empty
     else:
         assert isinstance(client.account, LocalAccount)
         assert client.account.address == address
@@ -242,7 +244,7 @@ def test_set_account(
         assert sdk_client.w3.eth.default_account == address
     else:
         assert account is None
-        assert sdk_client.w3.eth.default_account is None
+        assert sdk_client.w3.eth.default_account == empty
 
 
 def test_set_account_failures(sdk_client):
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index bd3f93f..11e2588 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "jpyc-core-sdk"
-version = "1.0.3"
+version = "1.0.4"
 source = { editable = "packages/core" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "eth-typing" },
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ dev = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "jpyc-python-sdks"
-version = "1.0.3"
+version = "1.0.4"
 source = { virtual = "." }
 
 [package.dev-dependencies]