diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7eef6433..a899523c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # ArangoDB Starter Changelog
 
 ## [master](https://github.com/arangodb-helper/arangodb/tree/master) (N/A)
+- Add --docker.force-bind-ports option to add ports for custom networks
 
 ## [0.15.8](https://github.com/arangodb-helper/arangodb/tree/0.15.8) (2023-06-02)
 - Add passing ARANGODB_SERVER_DIR env variable when starting arangod instances
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 1ed14df1..e1bf264d 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ func init() {
 	f.BoolVar(&opts.docker.netHost, "docker.net-host", false, "Run containers with --net=host")
 	f.Lookup("docker.net-host").Deprecated = "use --docker.net-mode=host instead"
 	f.StringVar(&opts.docker.networkMode, "docker.net-mode", "", "Run containers with --net=<value>")
+	f.BoolVar(&opts.docker.forceBindPorts, "docker.force-bind-ports", false, "If true, container will publish ports even on custom Docker network")
 	f.BoolVar(&opts.docker.privileged, "docker.privileged", false, "Run containers with --privileged")
 	f.BoolVar(&opts.docker.tty, "docker.tty", true, "Run containers with TTY enabled")
 
@@ -732,6 +733,7 @@ func mustPrepareService(generateAutoKeyFile bool) (*service.Service, service.Boo
 		DockerUser:              opts.docker.user,
 		DockerGCDelay:           opts.docker.gcDelay,
 		DockerNetworkMode:       opts.docker.networkMode,
+		DockerForceBindPorts:    opts.docker.forceBindPorts,
 		DockerPrivileged:        opts.docker.privileged,
 		DockerTTY:               opts.docker.tty,
 		ProjectVersion:          projectVersion,
diff --git a/options.go b/options.go
index 540395bb..4f91cb07 100644
--- a/options.go
+++ b/options.go
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ type starterOptions struct {
 		gcDelay         time.Duration
 		netHost         bool // Deprecated
 		networkMode     string
+		forceBindPorts  bool
 		privileged      bool
 		tty             bool
 	}
diff --git a/service/runner_docker.go b/service/runner_docker.go
index 051244f6..d0126c02 100644
--- a/service/runner_docker.go
+++ b/service/runner_docker.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const (
 
 // NewDockerRunner creates a runner that starts processes in a docker container.
 func NewDockerRunner(log zerolog.Logger, endpoint, arangodImage, arangoSyncImage string, imagePullPolicy ImagePullPolicy, user, volumesFrom string, gcDelay time.Duration,
-	networkMode string, privileged, tty bool) (Runner, error) {
+	networkMode string, forceBindPorts, privileged, tty bool) (Runner, error) {
 
 	os.Setenv("DOCKER_HOST", endpoint)
 	client, err := docker.NewClientFromEnv()
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ func NewDockerRunner(log zerolog.Logger, endpoint, arangodImage, arangoSyncImage
 		containerIDs:    make(map[string]time.Time),
 		gcDelay:         gcDelay,
 		networkMode:     networkMode,
+		forceBindPorts:  forceBindPorts,
 		privileged:      privileged,
 		tty:             tty,
 	}, nil
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ type dockerRunner struct {
 	gcOnce          sync.Once
 	gcDelay         time.Duration
 	networkMode     string
+	forceBindPorts  bool
 	privileged      bool
 	tty             bool
 }
@@ -271,17 +273,11 @@ func (r *dockerRunner) start(image string, command string, args []string, envs m
 	}
 	if r.networkMode != "" && r.networkMode != "default" {
 		opts.HostConfig.NetworkMode = r.networkMode
-	} else {
-		for _, p := range ports {
-			dockerPort := docker.Port(fmt.Sprintf("%d/tcp", p))
-			opts.Config.ExposedPorts[dockerPort] = struct{}{}
-			opts.HostConfig.PortBindings[dockerPort] = []docker.PortBinding{
-				{
-					HostIP:   "0.0.0.0",
-					HostPort: strconv.Itoa(p),
-				},
-			}
+		if r.forceBindPorts {
+			r.addPortBindings(ports, &opts)
 		}
+	} else {
+		r.addPortBindings(ports, &opts)
 	}
 	r.log.Debug().Msgf("Creating container %s", containerName)
 	c, err := r.client.CreateContainer(opts)
@@ -335,6 +331,19 @@ func (r *dockerRunner) start(image string, command string, args []string, envs m
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func (r *dockerRunner) addPortBindings(ports []int, opts *docker.CreateContainerOptions) {
+	for _, p := range ports {
+		dockerPort := docker.Port(fmt.Sprintf("%d/tcp", p))
+		opts.Config.ExposedPorts[dockerPort] = struct{}{}
+		opts.HostConfig.PortBindings[dockerPort] = []docker.PortBinding{
+			{
+				HostIP:   "0.0.0.0",
+				HostPort: strconv.Itoa(p),
+			},
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // imageExists looks for a local image and returns true it it exists, false otherwise.
 func (r *dockerRunner) imageExists(ctx context.Context, image string) (bool, error) {
 	found := false
diff --git a/service/service.go b/service/service.go
index 8e85e53a..aa24fbbc 100644
--- a/service/service.go
+++ b/service/service.go
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	DockerUser            string
 	DockerGCDelay         time.Duration
 	DockerNetworkMode     string
+	DockerForceBindPorts  bool
 	DockerPrivileged      bool
 	DockerTTY             bool
 	RunningInDocker       bool
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ func (c Config) CreateRunner(log zerolog.Logger) (Runner, Config, bool) {
 	if c.UseDockerRunner() {
 		runner, err := NewDockerRunner(log, c.DockerEndpoint, c.DockerArangodImage, c.DockerArangoSyncImage,
 			c.DockerImagePullPolicy, c.DockerUser, c.DockerContainerName,
-			c.DockerGCDelay, c.DockerNetworkMode, c.DockerPrivileged, c.DockerTTY)
+			c.DockerGCDelay, c.DockerNetworkMode, c.DockerForceBindPorts, c.DockerPrivileged, c.DockerTTY)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("Failed to create docker runner")
 		}