diff --git a/links/link_mgmt-net.go b/links/link_mgmt-net.go
index 4d9d94f9f..f0b928aa4 100644
--- a/links/link_mgmt-net.go
+++ b/links/link_mgmt-net.go
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 package links
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/ns"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/utils"
+	"github.com/vishvananda/netlink"
 )
 
 type LinkMgmtNetRaw struct {
@@ -112,6 +114,29 @@ func (*mgmtBridgeLinkNode) GetLinkEndpointType() LinkEndpointType {
 	return LinkEndpointTypeBridge
 }
 
+func (b *mgmtBridgeLinkNode) AddLinkToContainer(ctx context.Context, link netlink.Link, f func(ns.NetNS) error) error {
+	// retrieve the namespace handle
+	ns, err := ns.GetCurrentNS()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// get the bridge as netlink.Link
+	br, err := utils.LinkByNameOrAlias(b.shortname)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// assign the bridge to the link as master
+	err = netlink.LinkSetMaster(link, br)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// execute the given function
+	return ns.Do(f)
+}
+
 func getMgmtBrLinkNode() *mgmtBridgeLinkNode {
 	if _mgmtBrLinkMgmtBrInstance == nil {
 		currns, err := ns.GetCurrentNS()
diff --git a/tests/01-smoke/16-mgmtnet.robot b/tests/01-smoke/16-mgmtnet.robot
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..451e47c86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/01-smoke/16-mgmtnet.robot
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+*** Settings ***
+Library             OperatingSystem
+Library             String
+Library             Process
+Resource            ../common.robot
+
+Suite Setup         Setup
+Suite Teardown      Run Keyword    Teardown
+
+
+*** Variables ***
+${lab-name}         mgmtnetif
+${topo}             ${CURDIR}/16-mgmtnetinterface.clab.yml
+${runtime}          docker
+
+
+*** Test Cases ***
+Deploy ${lab-name} lab
+    ${result} =    Run Process   
+    ...    sudo -E ${CLAB_BIN} --runtime ${runtime} deploy -t ${topo}
+    ...    shell=True
+    Log    ${result.stdout}
+    Should Be Equal As Integers    ${result.rc}    0
+
+Check host side interface is attached to mgmt bridge and up
+    ${params} =   Set Variable    docker network inspect clab --format '{{ $opt := index .Options "com.docker.network.bridge.name"}}{{ $opt }}'
+    ${mgmtbrname} =    Run Process    ${params}    
+    ...    shell=True
+    Log    ${mgmtbrname.stdout}
+    ${result} =    Run Process
+    ...    sudo -E ip link show dev l1eth1
+    ...    shell=True
+    Log    ${result.stdout}
+    Should Be Equal As Integers    ${result.rc}    0
+    Should Contain    ${result.stdout}    state UP
+    Should Contain    ${result.stdout}    master ${mgmtbrname.stdout}
+
+*** Keywords ***
+Teardown
+    # destroy all labs
+    Run    sudo -E ${CLAB_BIN} --runtime ${runtime} destroy -c -a
+
+Setup
+    # skipping this test suite for podman for now
+    Skip If    '${runtime}' == 'podman'
diff --git a/tests/01-smoke/16-mgmtnetinterface.clab.yml b/tests/01-smoke/16-mgmtnetinterface.clab.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b462ca691
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/01-smoke/16-mgmtnetinterface.clab.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+name: mgmtnetif
+
+topology:
+  nodes:
+    l1:
+      kind: linux
+      image: alpine:latest
+      cmd: sleep infinity
+  links:
+    - endpoints: [l1:eth1, mgmt-net:l1eth1]
\ No newline at end of file