diff --git a/lib/services.js b/lib/services.js
index 42d3cdf..fe8ba29 100644
--- a/lib/services.js
+++ b/lib/services.js
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ async function up(docker, projectName, recipe, output, options) {
     };
 
     if (service.networks !== undefined) {
-      servicesTools.buildNetworks(projectName, serviceName, service.networks, networksToAttach, opts);
+      servicesTools.buildNetworks(projectName, serviceName, service.networks, networksToAttach, opts, recipe.networks);
     } else {
       opts.HostConfig.NetworkMode = projectName + '_default';
       opts.NetworkingConfig.EndpointsConfig[projectName + '_default'] = {
diff --git a/lib/servicesTools.js b/lib/servicesTools.js
index 9c1808d..5960d78 100644
--- a/lib/servicesTools.js
+++ b/lib/servicesTools.js
@@ -486,10 +486,19 @@ module.exports = {
     return output;
   },
 
-  buildNetworks: function (projectName, serviceName, serviceNetworks, networksToAttach, opts) {
+  buildNetworks: function (projectName, serviceName, serviceNetworks, networksToAttach, opts, toplevelNetworks) {
     if (Array.isArray(serviceNetworks)) {
       for (let index = 0; index < serviceNetworks.length; index++) {
         let networkName = projectName + '_' + serviceNetworks[index];
+        // check if network is external
+        if (toplevelNetworks !== undefined) {
+          if (Object.keys(toplevelNetworks).includes(serviceNetworks[index])) {
+            if (toplevelNetworks[serviceNetworks[index]].external === true) {
+              // it is external network
+              networkName = toplevelNetworks[serviceNetworks[index]].name
+            }
+          }
+        }
         let networkTemplate = {
           NetworkingConfig: {
             EndpointsConfig: {},
@@ -509,7 +518,16 @@ module.exports = {
       let networkNames = Object.keys(serviceNetworks);
       for (let index = 0; index < networkNames.length; index++) {
         let network = serviceNetworks[networkNames[index]] || {};
-        let networkName = projectName + '_' + networkNames[index];
+        let networkName = projectName + '_' + serviceNetworks[index];
+        // check if network is external
+        if (toplevelNetworks !== undefined) {
+          if (Object.keys(toplevelNetworks).includes(networkNames[index])) {
+            if (toplevelNetworks[networkNames[index]].external === true) {
+              // it is external network
+              networkName = toplevelNetworks[networkNames[index]].name
+            }
+          }
+        }
         let networkTemplate = {
           NetworkingConfig: {
             EndpointsConfig: {},