diff --git a/cmd/flags.go b/cmd/flags.go
index d8d4b187c..f4d2011a2 100644
--- a/cmd/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/flags.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const (
 	flagUpdateAfterExpiry       = "update-after-expiry"
 	flagUpdateAfterMisbehaviour = "update-after-misbehaviour"
 	flagClientTrustingPeriod    = "client-tp"
+	flagClientUnbondingPeriod   = "client-unbonding-period"
 	flagOverride                = "override"
 	flagSrcPort                 = "src-port"
 	flagDstPort                 = "dst-port"
@@ -332,6 +333,14 @@ func channelParameterFlags(v *viper.Viper, cmd *cobra.Command) *cobra.Command {
 	return srcPortFlag(v, dstPortFlag(v, versionFlag(v, orderFlag(v, cmd))))
 }
 
+func clientUnbondingPeriodFlag(v *viper.Viper, cmd *cobra.Command) *cobra.Command {
+	cmd.Flags().Duration(flagClientUnbondingPeriod, 0, "custom unbonding period for client state. This is useful when you need to create a new client matching an older client state")
+	if err := v.BindPFlag(flagClientUnbondingPeriod, cmd.Flags().Lookup(flagClientUnbondingPeriod)); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return cmd
+}
+
 func overrideFlag(v *viper.Viper, cmd *cobra.Command) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Flags().Bool(flagOverride, false, "option to not reuse existing client or channel")
 	if err := v.BindPFlag(flagOverride, cmd.Flags().Lookup(flagOverride)); err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/tx.go b/cmd/tx.go
index 041076a25..bb59ec645 100644
--- a/cmd/tx.go
+++ b/cmd/tx.go
@@ -143,6 +143,11 @@ func createClientCmd(a *appState) *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
+			overrideUnbondingPeriod, err := cmd.Flags().GetDuration(flagClientUnbondingPeriod)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
 			override, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool(flagOverride)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -210,7 +215,7 @@ func createClientCmd(a *appState) *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			clientID, err := relayer.CreateClient(cmd.Context(), src, dst, srcUpdateHeader, dstUpdateHeader, allowUpdateAfterExpiry, allowUpdateAfterMisbehaviour, override, customClientTrustingPeriod, a.config.memo(cmd))
+			clientID, err := relayer.CreateClient(cmd.Context(), src, dst, srcUpdateHeader, dstUpdateHeader, allowUpdateAfterExpiry, allowUpdateAfterMisbehaviour, override, customClientTrustingPeriod, overrideUnbondingPeriod, a.config.memo(cmd))
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -231,6 +236,7 @@ func createClientCmd(a *appState) *cobra.Command {
 	}
 
 	cmd = clientParameterFlags(a.viper, cmd)
+	cmd = clientUnbondingPeriodFlag(a.viper, cmd)
 	cmd = overrideFlag(a.viper, cmd)
 	cmd = memoFlag(a.viper, cmd)
 	return cmd
diff --git a/relayer/chain.go b/relayer/chain.go
index a23229bd8..6dafd2a6e 100644
--- a/relayer/chain.go
+++ b/relayer/chain.go
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ func (c *Chain) GetSelfVersion() uint64 {
 }
 
 // GetTrustingPeriod returns the trusting period for the chain
-func (c *Chain) GetTrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context) (time.Duration, error) {
-	return c.ChainProvider.TrustingPeriod(ctx)
+func (c *Chain) GetTrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context, overrideUnbondingPeriod time.Duration) (time.Duration, error) {
+	return c.ChainProvider.TrustingPeriod(ctx, overrideUnbondingPeriod)
 }
 
 func (c *Chain) String() string {
diff --git a/relayer/chains/cosmos/provider.go b/relayer/chains/cosmos/provider.go
index a8041466d..b3a75026d 100644
--- a/relayer/chains/cosmos/provider.go
+++ b/relayer/chains/cosmos/provider.go
@@ -225,11 +225,17 @@ func (cc *CosmosProvider) AccountFromKeyOrAddress(keyOrAddress string) (out sdk.
 	return
 }
 
-func (cc *CosmosProvider) TrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context) (time.Duration, error) {
+func (cc *CosmosProvider) TrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context, overrideUnbondingPeriod time.Duration) (time.Duration, error) {
 
-	unbondingTime, err := cc.QueryUnbondingPeriod(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+	unbondingTime := overrideUnbondingPeriod
+	var err error
+	if unbondingTime == 0 {
+		unbondingTime, err = cc.QueryUnbondingPeriod(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return 0, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		unbondingTime = overrideUnbondingPeriod
 	}
 	// We want the trusting period to be 85% of the unbonding time.
 	// Go mentions that the time.Duration type can track approximately 290 years.
diff --git a/relayer/chains/penumbra/provider.go b/relayer/chains/penumbra/provider.go
index fc680a41e..19176559d 100644
--- a/relayer/chains/penumbra/provider.go
+++ b/relayer/chains/penumbra/provider.go
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func (cc *PenumbraProvider) Address() (string, error) {
 	return out, err
 }
 
-func (cc *PenumbraProvider) TrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context) (time.Duration, error) {
+func (cc *PenumbraProvider) TrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context, overrideUnbondingPeriod time.Duration) (time.Duration, error) {
 	// TODO
 	return time.Hour * 2, nil
 	/*
diff --git a/relayer/client.go b/relayer/client.go
index 2330b262b..763bfa60b 100644
--- a/relayer/client.go
+++ b/relayer/client.go
@@ -55,12 +55,15 @@ func (c *Chain) CreateClients(ctx context.Context, dst *Chain, allowUpdateAfterE
 		return "", "", err
 	}
 
+	// overriding the unbonding period should only be possible when creating single clients at a time (CreateClient)
+	var overrideUnbondingPeriod = time.Duration(0)
+
 	var clientSrc, clientDst string
 	eg, egCtx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
 	eg.Go(func() error {
 		var err error
 		// Create client on src for dst if the client id is unspecified
-		clientSrc, err = CreateClient(egCtx, c, dst, srcUpdateHeader, dstUpdateHeader, allowUpdateAfterExpiry, allowUpdateAfterMisbehaviour, override, customClientTrustingPeriod, memo)
+		clientSrc, err = CreateClient(egCtx, c, dst, srcUpdateHeader, dstUpdateHeader, allowUpdateAfterExpiry, allowUpdateAfterMisbehaviour, override, customClientTrustingPeriod, overrideUnbondingPeriod, memo)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create client on src chain{%s}: %w", c.ChainID(), err)
 		}
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@ func (c *Chain) CreateClients(ctx context.Context, dst *Chain, allowUpdateAfterE
 	eg.Go(func() error {
 		var err error
 		// Create client on dst for src if the client id is unspecified
-		clientDst, err = CreateClient(egCtx, dst, c, dstUpdateHeader, srcUpdateHeader, allowUpdateAfterExpiry, allowUpdateAfterMisbehaviour, override, customClientTrustingPeriod, memo)
+		clientDst, err = CreateClient(egCtx, dst, c, dstUpdateHeader, srcUpdateHeader, allowUpdateAfterExpiry, allowUpdateAfterMisbehaviour, override, customClientTrustingPeriod, overrideUnbondingPeriod, memo)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create client on dst chain{%s}: %w", dst.ChainID(), err)
 		}
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ func CreateClient(
 	allowUpdateAfterMisbehaviour bool,
 	override bool,
 	customClientTrustingPeriod time.Duration,
+	overrideUnbondingPeriod time.Duration,
 	memo string) (string, error) {
 	// If a client ID was specified in the path and override is not set, ensure the client exists.
 	if !override && src.PathEnd.ClientID != "" {
@@ -122,7 +126,7 @@ func CreateClient(
 	if tp == 0 {
 		if err := retry.Do(func() error {
 			var err error
-			tp, err = dst.GetTrustingPeriod(ctx)
+			tp, err = dst.GetTrustingPeriod(ctx, overrideUnbondingPeriod)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to get trusting period for chain{%s}: %w", dst.ChainID(), err)
 			}
@@ -143,17 +147,19 @@ func CreateClient(
 		zap.Duration("trust_period", tp),
 	)
 
-	// Query the unbonding period for dst and retry if the query fails
-	var ubdPeriod time.Duration
-	if err := retry.Do(func() error {
-		var err error
-		ubdPeriod, err = dst.ChainProvider.QueryUnbondingPeriod(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to query unbonding period for chain{%s}: %w", dst.ChainID(), err)
+	ubdPeriod := overrideUnbondingPeriod
+	if ubdPeriod == 0 {
+		// Query the unbonding period for dst and retry if the query fails
+		if err := retry.Do(func() error {
+			var err error
+			ubdPeriod, err = dst.ChainProvider.QueryUnbondingPeriod(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to query unbonding period for chain{%s}: %w", dst.ChainID(), err)
+			}
+			return nil
+		}, retry.Context(ctx), RtyAtt, RtyDel, RtyErr); err != nil {
+			return "", err
 		}
-		return nil
-	}, retry.Context(ctx), RtyAtt, RtyDel, RtyErr); err != nil {
-		return "", err
 	}
 
 	// We want to create a light client on the src chain which tracks the state of the dst chain.
diff --git a/relayer/provider/provider.go b/relayer/provider/provider.go
index d5bd7abd7..ab34b32d0 100644
--- a/relayer/provider/provider.go
+++ b/relayer/provider/provider.go
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ type ChainProvider interface {
 	Key() string
 	Address() (string, error)
 	Timeout() string
-	TrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context) (time.Duration, error)
+	TrustingPeriod(ctx context.Context, overrideUnbondingPeriod time.Duration) (time.Duration, error)
 	WaitForNBlocks(ctx context.Context, n int64) error
 	Sprint(toPrint proto.Message) (string, error)