diff --git a/tests/acceptance/ape-config.yaml b/tests/acceptance/ape-config.yaml
index 9fc0aa7d1..0110d679f 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/ape-config.yaml
+++ b/tests/acceptance/ape-config.yaml
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@ deployments:
   ethereum:
     local:
       - contract_type: NuCypherToken
-        address: 0  # account index
+        address: '0x1e59ce931B4CFea3fe4B875411e280e173cB7A9C'  # test account at index 0
         nu_token_supply: 1_000_000_000
       - contract_type: SimplePREApplication
-        address: 0  # account index
+        address: '0x1e59ce931B4CFea3fe4B875411e280e173cB7A9C'  # test account at index 0
         threshold_staking: '::ThresholdStakingForPREApplicationMock.address::'
         pre_min_authorization: 40000000000000000000000
         pre_min_operator_seconds: 86400  # one day in seconds
       - contract_type: Coordinator
-        address: 0  # account index
+        address: '0x1e59ce931B4CFea3fe4B875411e280e173cB7A9C'  # test account at index 0
         app: '::SimplePREApplication.address::'
         ritual_timeout: 3600
         max_dkg_size: 8
diff --git a/tests/utils/ape.py b/tests/utils/ape.py
index faf279599..40e6bce46 100644
--- a/tests/utils/ape.py
+++ b/tests/utils/ape.py
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Dict, Tuple
 
 from ape import config as ape_config
-from ape.api import DependencyAPI
-from eth_typing import ChecksumAddress
-from eth_utils import is_checksum_address, to_checksum_address
+from ape.api import AccountAPI, DependencyAPI
+from eth_utils import to_checksum_address
 
 from nucypher.blockchain.eth.agents import (
     CoordinatorAgent,
@@ -55,30 +54,21 @@ def process_deployment_params(
 
 def get_deployment_params(
     contract_name, config, accounts, deployments
-) -> Tuple[Dict, ChecksumAddress]:
+) -> Tuple[Dict, AccountAPI]:
     """
     Get deployment params for a contract.
     """
     config = deepcopy(config)
     while config:
         params = config.pop()
-        deployer_address = params.pop("address")
+        deployer_address = accounts[params.pop("address")]
         name = params.pop("contract_type")
-        if not is_checksum_address(deployer_address):
-            try:
-                deployer_address = ChecksumAddress(accounts[int(deployer_address)])
-            except IndexError:
-                raise ValueError(f"Invalid deployer account index {deployer_address}")
-            except ValueError:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    f"Invalid configuration value for {name}'s deployment account: {deployer_address}"
-                )
         if name == contract_name:
             params = process_deployment_params(contract_name, params, deployments)
             return params, deployer_address
     else:
-        # there are no deployment params for this contract
-        return dict(), ChecksumAddress(deployer_address)
+        # there are no deployment params for this contract; default to account at index 0
+        return dict(), accounts[0]
 
 
 def deploy_contracts(nucypher_contracts: DependencyAPI, accounts):