diff --git a/src/lmstudio/json_api.py b/src/lmstudio/json_api.py
index 83816be..05435f9 100644
--- a/src/lmstudio/json_api.py
+++ b/src/lmstudio/json_api.py
@@ -1392,7 +1392,8 @@ def request_tool_call(
         def _call_requested_tool() -> ToolCallResultData:
             call_result = implementation(**kwds)
             return ToolCallResultData(
-                content=json.dumps(call_result, ensure_ascii=False), tool_call_id=tool_call_id
+                content=json.dumps(call_result, ensure_ascii=False),
+                tool_call_id=tool_call_id,
             )
 
         return _call_requested_tool
diff --git a/src/lmstudio/sync_api.py b/src/lmstudio/sync_api.py
index 3d87dbf..b338791 100644
--- a/src/lmstudio/sync_api.py
+++ b/src/lmstudio/sync_api.py
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@
     "LLM",
     "SyncModelHandle",
     "PredictionStream",
+    "configure_default_client",
     "get_default_client",
     "embedding_model",
     "list_downloaded_models",
@@ -1606,22 +1607,43 @@ def list_loaded_models(
 
 
 # Convenience API
+_default_api_host = None
 _default_client: Client | None = None
 
 
+@sdk_public_api()
+def configure_default_client(api_host: str) -> None:
+    """Set the server API host for the default global client (without creating the client)."""
+    global _default_api_host
+    if _default_client is not None:
+        raise LMStudioClientError(
+            "Default client is already created, cannot set its API host."
+        )
+    _default_api_host = api_host
+
+
 @sdk_public_api()
 def get_default_client(api_host: str | None = None) -> Client:
     """Get the default global client (creating it if necessary)."""
     global _default_client
+    if api_host is not None:
+        # This will raise an exception if the client already exists
+        configure_default_client(api_host)
     if _default_client is None:
-        _default_client = Client(api_host)
-    elif api_host is not None:
-        raise LMStudioClientError(
-            "Default session already connected, cannot set API host."
-        )
+        _default_client = Client(_default_api_host)
     return _default_client
 
 
+def _reset_default_client() -> None:
+    # Allow the test suite to reset the client without
+    # having to poke directly at the module's internals
+    global _default_api_host, _default_client
+    previous_client = _default_client
+    _default_api_host = _default_client = None
+    if previous_client is not None:
+        previous_client.close()
+
+
 @sdk_public_api()
 def llm(
     model_key: str | None = None,
diff --git a/tests/test_convenience_api.py b/tests/test_convenience_api.py
index c2bc031..05eaf87 100644
--- a/tests/test_convenience_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_convenience_api.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     EXPECTED_VLM_ID,
     IMAGE_FILEPATH,
     TOOL_LLM_ID,
+    closed_api_host,
 )
 
 
@@ -20,6 +21,36 @@
 def test_get_default_client() -> None:
     client = lms.get_default_client()
     assert isinstance(client, lms.Client)
+    # Setting the API host after creation is disallowed (even if it is consistent)
+    with pytest.raises(lms.LMStudioClientError, match="already created"):
+        lms.get_default_client("localhost:1234")
+    # Ensure configured API host is used
+    lms.sync_api._reset_default_client()
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(lms.LMStudioWebsocketError, match="not reachable"):
+            # Actually try to use the client in order to force a connection attempt
+            lms.get_default_client(closed_api_host()).list_loaded_models()
+    finally:
+        lms.sync_api._reset_default_client()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.lmstudio
+def test_configure_default_client() -> None:
+    # Ensure the default client already exists
+    client = lms.get_default_client()
+    assert isinstance(client, lms.Client)
+    # Setting the API host after creation is disallowed (even if it is consistent)
+    with pytest.raises(lms.LMStudioClientError, match="already created"):
+        lms.configure_default_client("localhost:1234")
+    # Ensure configured API host is used
+    lms.sync_api._reset_default_client()
+    try:
+        lms.configure_default_client(closed_api_host())
+        with pytest.raises(lms.LMStudioWebsocketError, match="not reachable"):
+            # Actually try to use the client in order to force a connection attempt
+            lms.get_default_client().list_loaded_models()
+    finally:
+        lms.sync_api._reset_default_client()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.lmstudio