diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/RyukContainer.java b/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/RyukContainer.java
index a0139420cab..8de50b4571a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/RyukContainer.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/RyukContainer.java
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ class RyukContainer extends GenericContainer<RyukContainer> {
     RyukContainer() {
         super("testcontainers/ryuk:0.14.0");
         withExposedPorts(8080);
+        String network = TestcontainersConfiguration.getInstance().getRyukNetwork();
+        if (network != null) {
+            withNetworkMode(network);
+        }
         withCreateContainerCmdModifier(cmd -> {
             cmd.withName("testcontainers-ryuk-" + DockerClientFactory.SESSION_ID);
             cmd.withHostConfig(
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfiguration.java b/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfiguration.java
index 5c80b82ba9c..8560d8b36e0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfiguration.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfiguration.java
@@ -155,6 +155,15 @@ public Integer getRyukTimeout() {
         return Integer.parseInt(getEnvVarOrProperty("ryuk.container.timeout", "30"));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return the name of the network the Ryuk container should be attached to, or {@code null} if Ryuk should use
+     * the default network.
+     */
+    @Nullable
+    public String getRyukNetwork() {
+        return getEnvVarOrProperty("ryuk.container.network", null);
+    }
+
     @Deprecated
     public String getKafkaImage() {
         return getImage(KAFKA_IMAGE).asCanonicalNameString();
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/testcontainers/utility/RyukContainerTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/testcontainers/utility/RyukContainerTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a5e96126a1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/testcontainers/utility/RyukContainerTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package org.testcontainers.utility;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.ExtendWith;
+import org.mockito.Mockito;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+
+@ExtendWith(MockTestcontainersConfigurationExtension.class)
+class RyukContainerTest {
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldNotUseCustomNetworkByDefault() {
+        assertThat(new RyukContainer().getNetworkMode()).as("no custom network by default").isNull();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldApplyConfiguredNetworkBeforeStart() {
+        Mockito
+            .doReturn("custom-network")
+            .when(TestcontainersConfiguration.getInstance())
+            .getRyukNetwork();
+
+        assertThat(new RyukContainer().getNetworkMode())
+            .as("configured network is applied before the container is started")
+            .isEqualTo("custom-network");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfigurationTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfigurationTest.java
index 4e0520af5ba..356c42c6e58 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfigurationTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/testcontainers/utility/TestcontainersConfigurationTest.java
@@ -217,6 +217,27 @@ void shouldReadReuseFromEnvironment() {
         assertThat(newConfig().environmentSupportsReuse()).as("reuse enabled via env var").isTrue();
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void shouldNotReadRyukNetworkByDefault() {
+        assertThat(newConfig().getRyukNetwork()).as("no custom network by default").isNull();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldReadRyukNetworkFromUserProperties() {
+        userProperties.setProperty("ryuk.container.network", "custom-network");
+        assertThat(newConfig().getRyukNetwork())
+            .as("custom network is set via user properties")
+            .isEqualTo("custom-network");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldReadRyukNetworkFromEnvironment() {
+        environment.put("TESTCONTAINERS_RYUK_CONTAINER_NETWORK", "custom-network");
+        assertThat(newConfig().getRyukNetwork())
+            .as("custom network is set via an environment variable")
+            .isEqualTo("custom-network");
+    }
+
     @Test
     void shouldTrimImageNames() {
         userProperties.setProperty("ryuk.container.image", " testcontainers/ryuk:0.3.2 ");
diff --git a/docs/features/configuration.md b/docs/features/configuration.md
index 389936cb89f..58455874b75 100644
--- a/docs/features/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/features/configuration.md
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ Some companies disallow the usage of Docker Hub, but you can override `*.image`
 > **ryuk.container.privileged = true**
 > In some environments ryuk must be started in privileged mode to work properly (--privileged flag)
 
+> **ryuk.container.network**
+> If set, ryuk is attached to the given (pre-existing) network instead of the default one.
+> Useful in environments such as rootless Podman or devcontainers, where ryuk otherwise cannot reach
+> containers running in custom networks.
+
 ### Disabling Ryuk
 Ryuk must be started as a privileged container.  
 If your environment already implements automatic cleanup of containers after the execution,