diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index c5969f2466..21bf8b4446 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ cargo_metadata = { version = "0.17.0" }
 cfg-if = { version = "1.0" }
 contract-build = { version = "3.2.0" }
 derive_more = { version = "0.99.17", default-features = false }
-drink = { version = "=0.1.3" }
+drink = { version = "=0.1.6" }
 either = { version = "1.5", default-features = false }
 funty = { version = "2.0.0" }
 heck = { version = "0.4.0" }
diff --git a/crates/e2e/macro/src/codegen.rs b/crates/e2e/macro/src/codegen.rs
index 5ab34fb8eb..94b75ff7d7 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/macro/src/codegen.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/macro/src/codegen.rs
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ impl InkE2ETest {
         let client_building = match self.test.config.backend() {
             Backend::Full => build_full_client(&environment, exec_build_contracts),
             #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
-            Backend::RuntimeOnly => build_runtime_client(exec_build_contracts),
+            Backend::RuntimeOnly => {
+                build_runtime_client(exec_build_contracts, self.test.config.runtime())
+            }
         };
 
         quote! {
@@ -146,9 +148,14 @@ fn build_full_client(environment: &syn::Path, contracts: TokenStream2) -> TokenS
 }
 
 #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
-fn build_runtime_client(contracts: TokenStream2) -> TokenStream2 {
+fn build_runtime_client(
+    contracts: TokenStream2,
+    runtime: Option<syn::Path>,
+) -> TokenStream2 {
+    let runtime =
+        runtime.unwrap_or_else(|| syn::parse_quote! { ::ink_e2e::MinimalRuntime });
     quote! {
         let contracts = #contracts;
-        let mut client = ::ink_e2e::DrinkClient::new(contracts);
+        let mut client = ::ink_e2e::DrinkClient::<_, _, #runtime>::new(contracts);
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/e2e/macro/src/config.rs b/crates/e2e/macro/src/config.rs
index 917fc50e90..123cec21de 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/macro/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/macro/src/config.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ pub struct E2EConfig {
     environment: Option<syn::Path>,
     /// The type of the architecture that should be used to run test.
     backend: Backend,
+    /// The runtime to use for the runtime-only test.
+    #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
+    runtime: Option<syn::Path>,
 }
 
 impl TryFrom<ast::AttributeArgs> for E2EConfig {
@@ -82,6 +85,8 @@ impl TryFrom<ast::AttributeArgs> for E2EConfig {
         let mut additional_contracts: Option<(syn::LitStr, ast::MetaNameValue)> = None;
         let mut environment: Option<(syn::Path, ast::MetaNameValue)> = None;
         let mut backend: Option<(syn::LitStr, ast::MetaNameValue)> = None;
+        #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
+        let mut runtime: Option<(syn::Path, ast::MetaNameValue)> = None;
 
         for arg in args.into_iter() {
             if arg.name.is_ident("additional_contracts") {
@@ -125,6 +130,28 @@ impl TryFrom<ast::AttributeArgs> for E2EConfig {
                         "expected a string literal for `backend` ink! E2E test configuration argument",
                     ));
                 }
+            } else if arg.name.is_ident("runtime") {
+                #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
+                {
+                    if let Some((_, ast)) = runtime {
+                        return Err(duplicate_config_err(ast, arg, "runtime", "E2E test"))
+                    }
+                    if let ast::MetaValue::Path(path) = &arg.value {
+                        runtime = Some((path.clone(), arg))
+                    } else {
+                        return Err(format_err_spanned!(
+                        arg,
+                        "expected a path for `runtime` ink! E2E test configuration argument",
+                    ));
+                    }
+                }
+                #[cfg(not(any(test, feature = "drink")))]
+                {
+                    return Err(format_err_spanned!(
+                        arg,
+                        "the `runtime` ink! E2E test configuration argument is not available because the `drink` feature is not enabled",
+                    ));
+                }
             } else {
                 return Err(format_err_spanned!(
                     arg,
@@ -141,10 +168,22 @@ impl TryFrom<ast::AttributeArgs> for E2EConfig {
             .transpose()?
             .unwrap_or_default();
 
+        #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
+        {
+            if backend == Backend::Full && runtime.is_some() {
+                return Err(format_err_spanned!(
+                    runtime.unwrap().1,
+                    "ink! E2E test `runtime` configuration argument is available for `runtime-only` backend only",
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+
         Ok(E2EConfig {
             additional_contracts,
             environment,
             backend,
+            #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
+            runtime: runtime.map(|(path, _)| path),
         })
     }
 }
@@ -165,6 +204,12 @@ impl E2EConfig {
     pub fn backend(&self) -> Backend {
         self.backend
     }
+
+    /// The runtime to use for the runtime-only test.
+    #[cfg(any(test, feature = "drink"))]
+    pub fn runtime(&self) -> Option<syn::Path> {
+        self.runtime.clone()
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -276,13 +321,59 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn runtime_must_be_path() {
+        assert_try_from(
+            syn::parse_quote! { runtime = "MinimalRuntime" },
+            Err("expected a path for `runtime` ink! E2E test configuration argument"),
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn duplicate_runtime_fails() {
+        assert_try_from(
+            syn::parse_quote! {
+                runtime = ::drink::MinimalRuntime,
+                runtime = ::drink::MaximalRuntime,
+            },
+            Err("encountered duplicate ink! E2E test `runtime` configuration argument"),
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn runtime_is_for_runtime_only_backend_only() {
+        assert_try_from(
+            syn::parse_quote! {
+                backend = "full",
+                runtime = ::drink::MinimalRuntime
+            },
+            Err("ink! E2E test `runtime` configuration argument is available for `runtime-only` backend only"),
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn specifying_runtime_works() {
+        assert_try_from(
+            syn::parse_quote! {
+                backend = "runtime-only",
+                runtime = ::drink::MinimalRuntime
+            },
+            Ok(E2EConfig {
+                backend: Backend::RuntimeOnly,
+                runtime: Some(syn::parse_quote! { ::drink::MinimalRuntime }),
+                ..Default::default()
+            }),
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn full_config_works() {
         assert_try_from(
             syn::parse_quote! {
                 additional_contracts = "adder/Cargo.toml flipper/Cargo.toml",
                 environment = crate::CustomEnvironment,
-                backend = "full",
+                backend = "runtime-only",
+                runtime = ::drink::MinimalRuntime,
             },
             Ok(E2EConfig {
                 additional_contracts: vec![
@@ -290,7 +381,8 @@ mod tests {
                     "flipper/Cargo.toml".into(),
                 ],
                 environment: Some(syn::parse_quote! { crate::CustomEnvironment }),
-                backend: Backend::Full,
+                backend: Backend::RuntimeOnly,
+                runtime: Some(syn::parse_quote! { ::drink::MinimalRuntime }),
             }),
         );
     }
diff --git a/crates/e2e/src/drink_client.rs b/crates/e2e/src/drink_client.rs
index a1e6eaec71..b39ab2d62e 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/src/drink_client.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/src/drink_client.rs
@@ -23,10 +23,7 @@ use drink::{
         RuntimeCall,
     },
     contract_api::ContractApi,
-    runtime::{
-        MinimalRuntime,
-        Runtime,
-    },
+    runtime::Runtime as RuntimeT,
     Sandbox,
     DEFAULT_GAS_LIMIT,
 };
@@ -43,7 +40,6 @@ use scale::{
     Encode,
 };
 use sp_core::{
-    crypto::AccountId32,
     sr25519::Pair,
     Pair as _,
 };
@@ -57,15 +53,26 @@ use subxt::{
 };
 use subxt_signer::sr25519::Keypair;
 
-pub struct Client<AccountId, Hash> {
-    sandbox: Sandbox<MinimalRuntime>,
+pub struct Client<AccountId, Hash, Runtime: RuntimeT> {
+    sandbox: Sandbox<Runtime>,
     contracts: ContractsRegistry,
     _phantom: PhantomData<(AccountId, Hash)>,
 }
 
-unsafe impl<AccountId, Hash> Send for Client<AccountId, Hash> {}
+// While it is not necessary true that `Client` is `Send`, it will not be used in a way
+// that would violate this bound. In particular, all `Client` instances will be operating
+// synchronously.
+unsafe impl<AccountId, Hash, Runtime: RuntimeT> Send
+    for Client<AccountId, Hash, Runtime>
+{
+}
+
+type RuntimeAccountId<R> = <R as drink::runtime::frame_system::Config>::AccountId;
 
-impl<AccountId, Hash> Client<AccountId, Hash> {
+impl<AccountId, Hash, Runtime: RuntimeT> Client<AccountId, Hash, Runtime>
+where
+    RuntimeAccountId<Runtime>: From<[u8; 32]>,
+{
     pub fn new<P: Into<PathBuf>>(contracts: impl IntoIterator<Item = P>) -> Self {
         let mut sandbox = Sandbox::new().expect("Failed to initialize Drink! sandbox");
         Self::fund_accounts(&mut sandbox);
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ impl<AccountId, Hash> Client<AccountId, Hash> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn fund_accounts<R: Runtime>(sandbox: &mut Sandbox<R>) {
+    fn fund_accounts(sandbox: &mut Sandbox<Runtime>) {
         const TOKENS: u128 = 1_000_000_000_000_000;
 
         let accounts = [
@@ -91,7 +98,7 @@ impl<AccountId, Hash> Client<AccountId, Hash> {
             crate::two(),
         ]
         .map(|kp| kp.public_key().0)
-        .map(AccountId32::new);
+        .map(From::from);
         for account in accounts.into_iter() {
             sandbox.add_tokens(account, TOKENS);
         }
@@ -99,7 +106,11 @@ impl<AccountId, Hash> Client<AccountId, Hash> {
 }
 
 #[async_trait]
-impl<AccountId: AsRef<[u8; 32]> + Send, Hash> ChainBackend for Client<AccountId, Hash> {
+impl<AccountId: AsRef<[u8; 32]> + Send, Hash, Runtime: RuntimeT> ChainBackend
+    for Client<AccountId, Hash, Runtime>
+where
+    RuntimeAccountId<Runtime>: From<[u8; 32]>,
+{
     type AccountId = AccountId;
     type Balance = u128;
     type Error = ();
@@ -121,7 +132,7 @@ impl<AccountId: AsRef<[u8; 32]> + Send, Hash> ChainBackend for Client<AccountId,
         &mut self,
         account: Self::AccountId,
     ) -> Result<Self::Balance, Self::Error> {
-        let account = AccountId32::new(*account.as_ref());
+        let account = RuntimeAccountId::<Runtime>::from(*account.as_ref());
         Ok(self.sandbox.balance(&account))
     }
 
@@ -139,7 +150,7 @@ impl<AccountId: AsRef<[u8; 32]> + Send, Hash> ChainBackend for Client<AccountId,
         // Get metadata of the drink! runtime, so that we can encode the call object.
         // Panic on error - metadata of the static im-memory runtime should always be
         // available.
-        let raw_metadata: Vec<u8> = MinimalRuntime::metadata().into();
+        let raw_metadata: Vec<u8> = Runtime::get_metadata().into();
         let metadata = subxt_metadata::Metadata::decode(&mut raw_metadata.as_slice())
             .expect("Failed to decode metadata");
 
@@ -150,13 +161,15 @@ impl<AccountId: AsRef<[u8; 32]> + Send, Hash> ChainBackend for Client<AccountId,
         // Decode the call object.
         // Panic on error - we just encoded a validated call object, so it should be
         // decodable.
-        let decoded_call =
-            RuntimeCall::<MinimalRuntime>::decode(&mut encoded_call.as_slice())
-                .expect("Failed to decode runtime call");
+        let decoded_call = RuntimeCall::<Runtime>::decode(&mut encoded_call.as_slice())
+            .expect("Failed to decode runtime call");
 
         // Execute the call.
         self.sandbox
-            .runtime_call(decoded_call, Some(keypair_to_account(origin)).into())
+            .runtime_call(
+                decoded_call,
+                Runtime::convert_account_to_origin(keypair_to_account(origin)),
+            )
             .map_err(|_| ())?;
 
         Ok(())
@@ -166,9 +179,12 @@ impl<AccountId: AsRef<[u8; 32]> + Send, Hash> ChainBackend for Client<AccountId,
 #[async_trait]
 impl<
         AccountId: Clone + Send + Sync + From<[u8; 32]> + AsRef<[u8; 32]>,
-        Hash: From<[u8; 32]>,
+        Hash: Copy + From<[u8; 32]>,
+        Runtime: RuntimeT,
         E: Environment<AccountId = AccountId, Balance = u128, Hash = Hash> + 'static,
-    > ContractsBackend<E> for Client<AccountId, Hash>
+    > ContractsBackend<E> for Client<AccountId, Hash, Runtime>
+where
+    RuntimeAccountId<Runtime>: From<[u8; 32]> + AsRef<[u8; 32]>,
 {
     type Error = ();
     type EventLog = ();
@@ -254,10 +270,16 @@ impl<
             }
         };
 
+        let code_hash_raw: [u8; 32] = result
+            .code_hash
+            .as_ref()
+            .try_into()
+            .expect("Invalid code hash");
+        let code_hash = Hash::from(code_hash_raw);
         Ok(UploadResult {
-            code_hash: result.code_hash.0.into(),
+            code_hash,
             dry_run: Ok(CodeUploadReturnValue {
-                code_hash: result.code_hash.0.into(),
+                code_hash,
                 deposit: result.deposit,
             }),
             events: (),
@@ -320,12 +342,15 @@ impl<
 
 impl<
         AccountId: Clone + Send + Sync + From<[u8; 32]> + AsRef<[u8; 32]>,
-        Hash: From<[u8; 32]>,
+        Hash: Copy + From<[u8; 32]>,
+        Runtime: RuntimeT,
         E: Environment<AccountId = AccountId, Balance = u128, Hash = Hash> + 'static,
-    > E2EBackend<E> for Client<AccountId, Hash>
+    > E2EBackend<E> for Client<AccountId, Hash, Runtime>
+where
+    RuntimeAccountId<Runtime>: From<[u8; 32]> + AsRef<[u8; 32]>,
 {
 }
 
-fn keypair_to_account(keypair: &Keypair) -> AccountId32 {
-    AccountId32::from(keypair.public_key().0)
+fn keypair_to_account<AccountId: From<[u8; 32]>>(keypair: &Keypair) -> AccountId {
+    AccountId::from(keypair.public_key().0)
 }
diff --git a/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs b/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs
index 8cfcf81ac8..bc3f49a19e 100644
--- a/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/e2e/src/lib.rs
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ pub use contract_results::{
     InstantiationResult,
     UploadResult,
 };
-#[cfg(feature = "drink")]
-pub use drink_client::Client as DrinkClient;
 pub use ink_e2e_macro::test;
 pub use node_proc::{
     TestNodeProcess,
@@ -69,6 +67,11 @@ pub use subxt_signer::sr25519::{
 };
 pub use tokio;
 pub use tracing_subscriber;
+#[cfg(feature = "drink")]
+pub use {
+    drink::runtime::MinimalRuntime,
+    drink_client::Client as DrinkClient,
+};
 
 use pallet_contracts_primitives::{
     ContractExecResult,
diff --git a/crates/ink/macro/src/scale.rs b/crates/ink/macro/src/scale.rs
index 5868342850..52bce8a2ea 100644
--- a/crates/ink/macro/src/scale.rs
+++ b/crates/ink/macro/src/scale.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ pub fn derive(attr: TokenStream2, item: TokenStream2) -> syn::Result<TokenStream
                 ))
             }
         }),
-        attr.clone(),
+        attr,
     )?;
 
     let codec_crate =
diff --git a/integration-tests/e2e-runtime-only-backend/lib.rs b/integration-tests/e2e-runtime-only-backend/lib.rs
index 53ba83a47b..b6fce1848e 100644
--- a/integration-tests/e2e-runtime-only-backend/lib.rs
+++ b/integration-tests/e2e-runtime-only-backend/lib.rs
@@ -149,5 +149,22 @@ pub mod flipper {
             assert_eq!(old_balance + ENDOWMENT, new_balance);
             Ok(())
         }
+
+        /// Just instantiate a contract using non-default runtime.
+        #[ink_e2e::test(backend = "runtime-only", runtime = ink_e2e::MinimalRuntime)]
+        async fn custom_runtime<Client: E2EBackend>(mut client: Client) -> E2EResult<()> {
+            client
+                .instantiate(
+                    "e2e-runtime-only-backend",
+                    &ink_e2e::alice(),
+                    FlipperRef::new(false),
+                    0,
+                    None,
+                )
+                .await
+                .expect("instantiate failed");
+
+            Ok(())
+        }
     }
 }