diff --git a/zebra-network/Cargo.toml b/zebra-network/Cargo.toml
index 9be0009e..4062a4d7 100644
--- a/zebra-network/Cargo.toml
+++ b/zebra-network/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ rand = "0.7"
 byteorder = "1.3"
 chrono = "0.4"
 failure = "0.1"
+serde = { version = "1", features = ["serde_derive"] }
 tokio = "=0.2.0-alpha.6"
 tower = { git = "https://github.com/tower-rs/tower", branch = "v0.3.x" }
 tracing = { git = "https://github.com/tokio-rs/tracing" }
diff --git a/zebra-network/src/config.rs b/zebra-network/src/config.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7fb0002
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zebra-network/src/config.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/// Configuration for networking code.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+#[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
+pub struct Config {
+    /// The user-agent to advertise.
+    pub user_agent: String,
+}
+
+impl Default for Config {
+    fn default() -> Config {
+        Config {
+            user_agent: crate::constants::USER_AGENT.to_owned(),
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/zebra-network/src/lib.rs b/zebra-network/src/lib.rs
index 8cd02440..2e302b7f 100644
--- a/zebra-network/src/lib.rs
+++ b/zebra-network/src/lib.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 #![deny(missing_docs)]
 
+#[macro_use]
+extern crate serde;
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate failure;
 #[macro_use]
@@ -19,6 +21,9 @@ pub(crate) type BoxedStdError = Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'stati
 mod network;
 pub use network::Network;
 
+mod config;
+pub use config::Config;
+
 pub mod protocol;
 
 // XXX revisit privacy once we finish encapsulation.
diff --git a/zebra-network/src/peer/connector.rs b/zebra-network/src/peer/connector.rs
index 148747c4..23414a39 100644
--- a/zebra-network/src/peer/connector.rs
+++ b/zebra-network/src/peer/connector.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use crate::{
     constants,
     protocol::{codec::*, internal::*, message::*, types::*},
     timestamp_collector::{PeerLastSeen, TimestampCollector},
-    BoxedStdError, Network,
+    BoxedStdError, Config, Network,
 };
 
 use super::{
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ use super::{
 
 /// A [`Service`] that connects to a remote peer and constructs a client/server pair.
 pub struct PeerConnector<S> {
+    config: Config,
     network: Network,
     internal_service: S,
     sender: mpsc::Sender<PeerLastSeen>,
@@ -39,10 +40,21 @@ where
     S::Future: Send,
     S::Error: Into<BoxedStdError>,
 {
-    /// XXX replace with a builder
-    pub fn new(network: Network, internal_service: S, collector: &TimestampCollector) -> Self {
+    /// Construct a new `PeerConnector`.
+    pub fn new(
+        config: Config,
+        network: Network,
+        internal_service: S,
+        collector: &TimestampCollector,
+    ) -> Self {
+        // XXX this function has too many parameters, but it's not clear how to
+        // do a nice builder as all fields are mandatory. Could have Builder1,
+        // Builder2, ..., with Builder1::with_config() -> Builder2;
+        // Builder2::with_internal_service() -> ... or use Options in a single
+        // Builder type or use the derive_builder crate.
         let sender = collector.sender_handle();
         PeerConnector {
+            config,
             network,
             internal_service,
             sender,
@@ -74,6 +86,7 @@ where
         let network = self.network.clone();
         let internal_service = self.internal_service.clone();
         let sender = self.sender.clone();
+        let user_agent = self.config.user_agent.clone();
 
         let fut = async move {
             info!("beginning connection");
@@ -93,7 +106,9 @@ where
                     "127.0.0.1:9000".parse().unwrap(),
                 ),
                 nonce: Nonce::default(),
-                user_agent: "Zebra Peer".to_owned(),
+                user_agent,
+                // XXX eventually the `PeerConnector` will need to have a handle
+                // for a service that gets the current block height.
                 start_height: BlockHeight(0),
                 relay: false,
             };
diff --git a/zebrad/src/commands/connect.rs b/zebrad/src/commands/connect.rs
index 999874c5..3eb158b1 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/commands/connect.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/commands/connect.rs
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ impl ConnectCmd {
             1,
         );
 
+        let config = app_config().network.clone();
         let collector = TimestampCollector::new();
-
-        let mut pc = PeerConnector::new(Network::Mainnet, node, &collector);
+        let mut pc = PeerConnector::new(config, Network::Mainnet, node, &collector);
         // no need to call ready because pc is always ready
         let mut client = pc.call(self.addr.clone()).await?;
 
diff --git a/zebrad/src/config.rs b/zebrad/src/config.rs
index ee632b06..4a6c7e28 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/config.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/config.rs
@@ -7,24 +7,16 @@
 use abscissa_core::Config;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
+use zebra_network::Config as NetworkSection;
+
 /// Zebrad Configuration
-#[derive(Clone, Config, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
+#[derive(Clone, Config, Default, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct ZebradConfig {
     /// Tracing configuration
     pub tracing: TracingSection,
-}
-
-/// Default configuration settings.
-///
-/// Note: if your needs are as simple as below, you can
-/// use `#[derive(Default)]` on ZebradConfig instead.
-impl Default for ZebradConfig {
-    fn default() -> Self {
-        Self {
-            tracing: TracingSection::default(),
-        }
-    }
+    /// Networking configuration,
+    pub network: NetworkSection,
 }
 
 /// Tracing configuration section.