diff --git a/docker/wasmd/Dockerfile b/docker/wasmd/Dockerfile
index 190c62d..d26db20 100644
--- a/docker/wasmd/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/wasmd/Dockerfile
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ ARG WASMD_VERSION=v0.44.0
 FROM cosmwasm/wasmd:${WASMD_VERSION}
 
 # Increase the amount of ucosm given to accounts
-RUN sed -i  's/1000000000/12000000000000/g' /opt/setup_wasmd.sh
+RUN <<EOF
+sed -i 's/keyring-backend = "os"/keyring-backend = "test"/g' /root/.wasmd/config/client.toml
+sed -i  's/1000000000/12000000000000/g' /opt/setup_wasmd.sh
+EOF
 
 # Set up wasmd. The account numbers correspond to those in the ./accounts/
 # folder.
@@ -13,6 +16,17 @@ RUN /opt/setup_wasmd.sh \
         wasm1adcnk7lt6qst7p5d0g5607e28k77um7nxwxuqy \
         wasm1jn34x50hy3my0a2mxwcx8fttgfxu2n5gpvu0ty
 
+# Import the accounts' private keys into the image such that they can be used to
+# initiate transactions from within the container.
+COPY accounts /tmp/accounts
+RUN <<EOF
+tail -n 1 /tmp/accounts/admin.txt | wasmd keys add admin --recover --keyring-backend=test
+tail -n 1 /tmp/accounts/alice.txt | wasmd keys add alice --recover --keyring-backend=test
+tail -n 1 /tmp/accounts/bob.txt | wasmd keys add bob --recover --keyring-backend=test
+tail -n 1 /tmp/accounts/charlie.txt | wasmd keys add charlie --recover --keyring-backend=test
+rm -rf /tmp/accounts
+EOF
+
 # Configure the validator for single-node operation within a Docker container
 RUN <<EOF
 sed -i 's/keyring-backend = "os"/keyring-backend = "test"/g' /root/.wasmd/config/client.toml
@@ -27,4 +41,4 @@ sed -i 's/max_body_bytes = 1000000$/max_body_bytes = 1000000000/g' /root/.wasmd/
 sed -i 's/max_tx_bytes = 1048576$/max_tx_bytes = 104857600/g' /root/.wasmd/config/config.toml
 EOF
 
-CMD ["/opt/run_wasmd.sh"]
\ No newline at end of file
+CMD ["/opt/run_wasmd.sh"]
diff --git a/docker/wasmd/Makefile b/docker/wasmd/Makefile
index d614c47..f27fe6e 100644
--- a/docker/wasmd/Makefile
+++ b/docker/wasmd/Makefile
@@ -35,4 +35,14 @@ delete-accounts:
 	wasmd keys delete -y alice
 	wasmd keys delete -y bob
 	wasmd keys delete -y charlie
-.PHONY: delete-accounts
\ No newline at end of file
+.PHONY: delete-accounts
+
+# Imports the accounts for admin, alice, bob and charlie from the text files in
+# the ./accounts/ folder. We assume that the mnemonic for each account is the
+# last line of each of the text files.
+import-accounts:
+	tail -n 1 accounts/admin.txt | wasmd keys add admin --recover --keyring-backend=test
+	tail -n 1 accounts/alice.txt | wasmd keys add alice --recover --keyring-backend=test
+	tail -n 1 accounts/bob.txt | wasmd keys add bob --recover --keyring-backend=test
+	tail -n 1 accounts/charlie.txt | wasmd keys add charlie --recover --keyring-backend=test
+.PHONY: import-accounts
diff --git a/docker/wasmd/README.md b/docker/wasmd/README.md
index 9569e0e..f3785bb 100644
--- a/docker/wasmd/README.md
+++ b/docker/wasmd/README.md
@@ -51,6 +51,43 @@ make
 
 This will, by default, build a Docker image tagged `informaldev/wasmd:v0.44.0`.
 
+## Transacting on behalf of the accounts
+
+The accounts listed in the [`accounts`](./accounts/) folder are all already
+imported into the `test` keyring within the Docker image. Once the container is
+running, you can run the following to list them:
+
+```bash
+# Assumes the container is called "wasmd"
+docker exec -it wasmd \
+  wasmd keys list --keyring-backend=test
+```
+
+## Importing the account keys
+
+As previously mentioned, the [`accounts`](./accounts/) folder contains all of
+the necessary material to construct the public/private keypairs of the accounts.
+
+A convenient helper target is provided in [`Makefile`](./Makefile) to facilitate
+importing of these accounts into a local `wasmd` configuration (i.e. on your
+host machine, outside of the Docker container). This will allow you to transact
+on behalf of any of those accounts from outside of the Docker container.
+
+**NB**: For this to work, you will need the same version of `wasmd` installed on
+your local machine as what is built into the `wasmd` Docker image.
+
+```bash
+make import-accounts
+```
+
+To check that the accounts have been imported correctly, on your host machine
+run:
+
+```bash
+# List all keys available in your local wasmd configuration
+wasmd keys list --keyring-backend=test
+```
+
 ## Querying accounts in the container
 
 To query, for example, the `admin` account's balance, where the `admin`