diff --git a/api/substrate.config.yaml b/api/substrate.config.yaml
index 1b6622f..5548475 100644
--- a/api/substrate.config.yaml
+++ b/api/substrate.config.yaml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ data:
 ### Local deployment
 ### Each node should have Docker Engine installed.
 docker:
+  network: OPTIONAL - the name of the overlay network to use
   port: OPTIONAL - the port to be expose the Docker service on
   replicas: OPTIONAL - the number of replicas the Docker swarm should use
   advertise_addr: REQUIRED if using multiple local nodes - the IP:PORT to use to add nodes to the swarm
diff --git a/src/substrate/targets/docker_swarm.py b/src/substrate/targets/docker_swarm.py
index ad1c732..0489eed 100644
--- a/src/substrate/targets/docker_swarm.py
+++ b/src/substrate/targets/docker_swarm.py
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ def __init__(self, _, config, tool):
 		self.tool = tool
 
 		self.docker = from_env()
+		self.network_name = self.config['docker'].get(
+			'network',
+			'substrate-{self.tool.name}-net'
+		)
 		self.network = None
 
 		ssh_dir = os.path.join(Path.home(), '.ssh')
@@ -35,10 +39,14 @@ def create_swarm(self):
 			pass
 		self.log('✓\n')
 
-		self.network = self.docker.networks.create(
-			f'substrate-{self.tool.name}-net',
-			driver='overlay'
-		)
+		networks = self.docker.networks.list(names=[self.network_name])
+		if networks:
+			self.network = networks[0]
+		else:
+			self.network = self.docker.networks.create(
+				self.network_name,
+				driver='overlay'
+			)
 
 		manager_token = self.docker.swarm.attrs['JoinTokens']['Manager']
 		worker_token = self.docker.swarm.attrs['JoinTokens']['Worker']
@@ -125,8 +133,11 @@ def destroy_swarm(self):
 					self.log('✓\n')
 
 		self.log('Removing the swarm service…')
-		for obj in self.docker.services.list(filters={'name': self.tool.name}) + self.docker.networks.list(names=[f'substrate-{self.tool.name}-net']):  # noqa: E501
-			obj.remove()
+		for obj in self.docker.services.list(filters={'name': self.tool.name}) + self.docker.networks.list(names=[self.network_name]):  # noqa: E501
+			try:
+				obj.remove()
+			except APIError:
+				pass
 		self.log('✓\n')
 
 	def log(self, message):
diff --git a/src/substrate/tools/braid.py b/src/substrate/tools/braid.py
index db6c3f5..16c55fe 100644
--- a/src/substrate/tools/braid.py
+++ b/src/substrate/tools/braid.py
@@ -39,9 +39,13 @@ def __init__(self, config, data_sources):
 
 	def start(self):
 		mounts = super().start()
-
 		docker = from_env()
 
+		network_name = self.config['docker'].get(
+			'network',
+			'substrate-braid-net'
+		)
+
 		mounts.append(
 			Mount('/opt/run', self.braid_path, type='bind', read_only=True)
 		)
@@ -62,7 +66,7 @@ def start(self):
 			),
 			mounts=mounts,
 			name='braid',
-			networks=[f'substrate-{self.name}-net'],
+			networks=[network_name],
 			workdir='/opt/run'
 		)
 
diff --git a/src/substrate/tools/generic_tool.py b/src/substrate/tools/generic_tool.py
index 4f790a7..a0fa9c6 100644
--- a/src/substrate/tools/generic_tool.py
+++ b/src/substrate/tools/generic_tool.py
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ def start(self):
 
 		mounts = super().start()
 		docker = from_env()
+
+		network_name = self.config['docker'].get(
+			'network',
+			f'substrate-{self.name}-net'
+		)
+
 		self.port = self.config['docker'].get('port', self.port)
 		environment_variables = self.config['docker'].get('env', [])
 		arguments = self.config.get('args', [])
@@ -49,6 +55,6 @@ def start(self):
 			env=environment_variables,
 			mounts=mounts,
 			name=self.name,
-			networks=[f'substrate-{self.name}-net'],
+			networks=[network_name],
 			init=True
 		)
diff --git a/src/substrate/tools/hello_world.py b/src/substrate/tools/hello_world.py
index de44aad..6a22962 100644
--- a/src/substrate/tools/hello_world.py
+++ b/src/substrate/tools/hello_world.py
@@ -26,9 +26,13 @@ def __init__(self, config, data_sources):
 
 	def start(self):
 		mounts = super().start()
-
 		docker = from_env()
 
+		network_name = self.config['docker'].get(
+			'network',
+			'substrate-hello-net'
+		)
+
 		self.port = self.config['docker'].get('port', self.port)
 		docker.services.create(
 			'seelab/substrate-hello-world:latest',
@@ -41,5 +45,5 @@ def start(self):
 			),
 			mounts=mounts,
 			name='hello-world',
-			networks=[f'substrate-{self.name}-net']
+			networks=[network_name]
 		)
diff --git a/src/substrate/tools/nc_slicer.py b/src/substrate/tools/nc_slicer.py
index 4e9af78..b60bd75 100644
--- a/src/substrate/tools/nc_slicer.py
+++ b/src/substrate/tools/nc_slicer.py
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ def __init__(self, config, data_sources):
 	def start(self):
 		mounts = super().start()
 		docker = from_env()
+
+		network_name = self.config['docker'].get(
+			'network',
+			'substrate-slicer-net'
+		)
+
 		self.port = self.config['docker'].get('port', self.port)
 		docker.services.create(
 			'seelab/substrate-nc-slicer',
@@ -37,12 +43,11 @@ def start(self):
 			),
 			mounts=mounts,
 			name='nc-slicer',
-			networks=[f'substrate-{self.name}-net'],
+			networks=[network_name],
 			init=True
 		)
 
-	# TODO: 
+	# TODO:
 	# fix nc-slicer -> nc_slicer and init=True in main substrate repo
 	# set up dockerhub org and move images to it
-	# impliment water-and-land changes to nc_slicer image 
-
+	# impliment water-and-land changes to nc_slicer image
diff --git a/src/substrate/tools/ospray_studio.py b/src/substrate/tools/ospray_studio.py
index b3564e2..74e4d06 100644
--- a/src/substrate/tools/ospray_studio.py
+++ b/src/substrate/tools/ospray_studio.py
@@ -26,9 +26,13 @@ def __init__(self, config, data_sources):
 
 	def start(self):
 		mounts = super().start()
-
 		docker = from_env()
 
+		network_name = self.config['docker'].get(
+			'network',
+			'substrate-ospray-studio-net'
+		)
+
 		self.port = self.config['docker'].get('port', self.port)
 		docker.services.create(
 			'seelab/substrate-ospray-studio:latest',
@@ -41,5 +45,5 @@ def start(self):
 			),
 			mounts=mounts,
 			name='ospray-studio',
-			networks=[f'substrate-{self.name}-net']
+			networks=[network_name]
 		)
diff --git a/src/substrate/tools/tapestry.py b/src/substrate/tools/tapestry.py
index bc294f6..6d7e451 100644
--- a/src/substrate/tools/tapestry.py
+++ b/src/substrate/tools/tapestry.py
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ def start(self):
 		mounts = super().start()
 		docker = from_env()
 
+		network_name = self.config['docker'].get(
+			'network',
+			'substrate-tapestry-net'
+		)
+
 		mounts.append(Mount('/app', self.app_path, type='bind', read_only=True))
 		mounts.append(
 			Mount('/config', self.config_path, type='bind', read_only=True)
@@ -58,7 +63,7 @@ def start(self):
 			),
 			mounts=mounts,
 			name='tapestry',
-			networks=[f'substrate-{self.name}-net']
+			networks=[network_name]
 		)
 
 	def upload_to_s3(self):