diff --git a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/ClientBuilder.java b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/ClientBuilder.java
index 6e4fca4..6816713 100644
--- a/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/ClientBuilder.java
+++ b/elx-common/src/main/java/org/xbib/elx/common/ClientBuilder.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import org.xbib.elx.api.BasicClient;
 import org.xbib.elx.api.SearchClientProvider;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.ServiceLoader;
 
 @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
@@ -106,6 +107,25 @@ public class ClientBuilder {
         return this;
     }
 
+    public ClientBuilder put(Map<String, ?> map) {
+        for (Map.Entry<String, ?> entry : map.entrySet()) {
+            if (entry.getValue() == null) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            if (entry.getValue() instanceof String ||
+                    entry.getValue() instanceof  Integer ||
+                    entry.getValue() instanceof Long ||
+                    entry.getValue() instanceof Float ||
+                    entry.getValue() instanceof TimeValue) {
+                settingsBuilder.put(entry.getKey(), entry.getValue().toString());
+            } else {
+                logger.log(Level.WARN, "skipping " + entry.getValue() +
+                        " because invalid class type " + entry.getValue().getClass().getName());
+            }
+        }
+        return this;
+    }
+
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public <C extends BasicClient> C build() throws IOException {
         Settings settings = settingsBuilder.build();
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index ee6d2fb..8df8c01 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ xbib-netty-http.version = 4.1.49.0
 elasticsearch.version = 2.2.1
 jackson.version = 2.9.10
 jna.version = 4.5.2
-log4j.version = 2.12.1
+log4j.version = 2.13.1
 mustache.version = 0.9.5
 jts.version = 1.13
 junit.version = 5.6.2