diff --git a/gns3server/compute/docker/__init__.py b/gns3server/compute/docker/__init__.py
index 82acba4b7..4a64a4d3a 100644
--- a/gns3server/compute/docker/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/compute/docker/__init__.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from gns3server.config import Config
 from gns3server.utils.asyncio import locking
 from gns3server.compute.base_manager import BaseManager
 from gns3server.compute.docker.docker_vm import DockerVM
-from gns3server.compute.docker.docker_error import DockerError, DockerHttp304Error, DockerHttp404Error
+from gns3server.compute.docker.docker_error import DockerError, DockerHttp304Error, DockerHttp404Error, DockerHttp409Error
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ class Docker(BaseManager):
                 raise DockerHttp304Error(f"Docker has returned an error: {response.status} {body}")
             elif response.status == 404:
                 raise DockerHttp404Error(f"Docker has returned an error: {response.status} {body}")
+            elif response.status == 409:
+                raise DockerHttp409Error(f"Docker has returned an error: {response.status} {body}")
             else:
                 raise DockerError(f"Docker has returned an error: {response.status} {body}")
         return response
diff --git a/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_error.py b/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_error.py
index 298b9c3b8..0b77f778e 100644
--- a/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_error.py
+++ b/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_error.py
@@ -31,3 +31,7 @@ class DockerHttp304Error(DockerError):
 
 class DockerHttp404Error(DockerError):
     pass
+
+
+class DockerHttp409Error(DockerError):
+    pass
diff --git a/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py b/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py
index a72c5173c..b78773203 100644
--- a/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py
+++ b/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ from ..base_node import BaseNode
 
 from ..adapters.ethernet_adapter import EthernetAdapter
 from ..nios.nio_udp import NIOUDP
-from .docker_error import DockerError, DockerHttp304Error, DockerHttp404Error
+from .docker_error import DockerError, DockerHttp304Error, DockerHttp404Error, DockerHttp409Error
 
 import logging
 
@@ -548,7 +548,28 @@ class DockerVM(BaseNode):
                 params["Env"].append(f"GNS3_EXTRA_HOSTS={extra_hosts}")
 
         # Support name in Doker: [a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9_.-]
-        result = await self.manager.query("POST", f"containers/create?name={self.docker_name}", data=params)
+        try:
+            result = await self.manager.query("POST", f"containers/create?name={self.docker_name}", data=params)
+        except DockerHttp409Error:
+            # Container name already exists. This can happen when the server crashes
+            # and leaves containers behind. Try to remove the conflicting container.
+            log.warning(f"Container name '{self.docker_name}' is already in use, attempting to clean up the stale container...")
+            try:
+                # Try to get and remove the conflicting container
+                try:
+                    container_info = await self.manager.query("GET", f"containers/{self.docker_name}/json")
+                    container_id = container_info["Id"]
+                    # Force remove the container
+                    await self.manager.query("DELETE", f"containers/{container_id}", params={"force": 1, "v": 1})
+                    log.info(f"Removed stale container '{self.docker_name}' ({container_id})")
+                except DockerHttp404Error:
+                    # Container doesn't exist anymore, race condition - just continue
+                    pass
+                # Retry creating the container
+                result = await self.manager.query("POST", f"containers/create?name={self.docker_name}", data=params)
+            except DockerError as e:
+                log.error(f"Failed to clean up conflicting container '{self.docker_name}': {e}")
+                raise
         self._cid = result["Id"]
         log.info(f"Docker container '{self._name}' [{self._id}] created")
         if self._cpus > 0: