diff --git a/packages/network/src/network.ts b/packages/network/src/network.ts
index e236338d1..03f298990 100644
--- a/packages/network/src/network.ts
+++ b/packages/network/src/network.ts
@@ -64,11 +64,13 @@ export function networkFromName(name: StacksNetworkName) {
   }
 }
 
+/** @ignore */
 export function networkFrom(network: StacksNetworkName | StacksNetwork) {
   if (typeof network === 'string') return networkFromName(network);
   return network;
 }
 
+/** @ignore */
 export function deriveDefaultUrl(network?: StacksNetwork | StacksNetworkName) {
   if (!network) return HIRO_MAINNET_URL; // default to mainnet if no network is given
 
diff --git a/packages/stacking/src/index.ts b/packages/stacking/src/index.ts
index d0e17f1b3..cb0696a21 100644
--- a/packages/stacking/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/stacking/src/index.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   intToBigInt,
   isInstance,
 } from '@stacks/common';
-import { StacksNetwork } from '@stacks/network';
+import { StacksNetwork, StacksNetworkName, networkFrom } from '@stacks/network';
 import {
   BurnchainRewardListResponse,
   BurnchainRewardSlotHolderListResponse,
@@ -341,9 +341,14 @@ export class StackingClient {
 
   public api: StacksNodeApi;
 
-  constructor(opts: { address: string; network: StacksNetwork; api?: StacksNodeApi | ApiOpts }) {
+  // todo: make more constructor opts optional
+  constructor(opts: {
+    address: string;
+    network: StacksNetworkName | StacksNetwork;
+    api?: StacksNodeApi | ApiOpts;
+  }) {
     this.address = opts.address;
-    this.network = opts.network;
+    this.network = networkFrom(opts.network);
     this.api = isInstance(opts.api, StacksNodeApi)
       ? opts.api
       : new StacksNodeApi({ url: opts.api?.url, fetch: opts.api?.fetch, network: opts.network });
diff --git a/packages/stacking/src/utils.ts b/packages/stacking/src/utils.ts
index 3a643f810..9a20d6316 100644
--- a/packages/stacking/src/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/stacking/src/utils.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {
   base58CheckEncode,
   verifyMessageSignatureRsv,
 } from '@stacks/encryption';
-import { StacksNetwork, StacksNetworkName, StacksNetworks } from '@stacks/network';
+import { StacksNetwork, StacksNetworkName, StacksNetworks, networkFrom } from '@stacks/network';
 import {
   BufferCV,
   ClarityType,
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ export function poxAddressToBtcAddress(
   network: StacksNetworkName
 ): string;
 export function poxAddressToBtcAddress(...args: any[]): string {
+  // todo: allow these helpers to take a bitcoin network instead of a stacks network, once we have a concept of bitcoin networks in the codebase
   if (typeof args[0] === 'number') return _poxAddressToBtcAddress_Values(args[0], args[1], args[2]);
   return _poxAddressToBtcAddress_ClarityValue(args[0], args[1]);
 }
@@ -411,7 +412,7 @@ export interface Pox4SignatureOptions {
   rewardCycle: number;
   /** lock period (in cycles) */
   period: number;
-  network: StacksNetwork;
+  network: StacksNetworkName | StacksNetwork;
   /** Maximum amount of uSTX that can be locked during this function call */
   maxAmount: IntegerType;
   /** Random integer to prevent signature re-use */
@@ -472,10 +473,11 @@ export function pox4SignatureMessage({
   poxAddress,
   rewardCycle,
   period: lockPeriod,
-  network,
+  network: networkOrName,
   maxAmount,
   authId,
 }: Pox4SignatureOptions) {
+  const network = networkFrom(networkOrName);
   const message = tupleCV({
     'pox-addr': poxAddressToTuple(poxAddress),
     'reward-cycle': uintCV(rewardCycle),
diff --git a/packages/wallet-sdk/src/derive.ts b/packages/wallet-sdk/src/derive.ts
index ceb044781..b2a597837 100644
--- a/packages/wallet-sdk/src/derive.ts
+++ b/packages/wallet-sdk/src/derive.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,13 @@
 import { HDKey } from '@scure/bip32';
 import { ApiParam, bytesToHex, defaultApiLike, utf8ToBytes } from '@stacks/common';
 import { compressPrivateKey, createSha2Hash } from '@stacks/encryption';
-import { STACKS_MAINNET, StacksNetwork, deriveDefaultUrl } from '@stacks/network';
+import {
+  STACKS_MAINNET,
+  StacksNetwork,
+  StacksNetworkName,
+  deriveDefaultUrl,
+  networkFrom,
+} from '@stacks/network';
 import { getAddressFromPrivateKey } from '@stacks/transactions';
 import { Account, HARDENED_OFFSET, WalletKeys } from './models/common';
 import { fetchFirstName } from './usernames';
@@ -141,15 +147,15 @@ const selectDerivationTypeForUsername = async ({
 }): Promise<DerivationType> => {
   if (network) {
     const nameInfo = await getNameInfo({ name: username });
-    let stxPrivateKey = deriveStxPrivateKey({ rootNode, index });
+    const stxPrivateKey = deriveStxPrivateKey({ rootNode, index });
     let derivedAddress = getAddressFromPrivateKey(stxPrivateKey);
     if (derivedAddress !== nameInfo.address) {
       // try data private key
-      stxPrivateKey = deriveDataPrivateKey({
+      const dataPrivateKey = deriveDataPrivateKey({
         rootNode,
         index,
       });
-      derivedAddress = getAddressFromPrivateKey(stxPrivateKey);
+      derivedAddress = getAddressFromPrivateKey(dataPrivateKey);
       if (derivedAddress !== nameInfo.address) {
         return DerivationType.Unknown;
       } else {
@@ -200,7 +206,7 @@ export const fetchUsernameForAccountByDerivationType = async (
     rootNode: HDKey;
     index: number;
     derivationType: DerivationType.Wallet | DerivationType.Data;
-    network?: StacksNetwork;
+    network?: StacksNetworkName | StacksNetwork;
   } & ApiParam
 ): Promise<{
   username: string | undefined;
@@ -208,7 +214,7 @@ export const fetchUsernameForAccountByDerivationType = async (
   const api = defaultApiLike({ ...{ url: deriveDefaultUrl(opts.network) }, ...opts.api });
 
   // try to find existing usernames owned by given derivation path
-  const selectedNetwork = opts.network ?? STACKS_MAINNET;
+  const selectedNetwork = opts.network ? networkFrom(opts.network) : STACKS_MAINNET;
   const privateKey = derivePrivateKeyByType(opts);
   const address = getAddressFromPrivateKey(privateKey, selectedNetwork.transactionVersion);
   const username = await fetchFirstName({ address, api });