diff --git a/compose.yaml b/compose.yaml
index d15b6ec3..1ffd5e30 100644
--- a/compose.yaml
+++ b/compose.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ services:
     networks:
       omics_portal_omics_network:
         aliases: ["thothii-core"]
+      localllm_default: {}
 
   frontend:
     build:
@@ -53,3 +54,5 @@ services:
 networks:
   omics_portal_omics_network:
     external: true
+  localllm_default:
+    external: true
diff --git a/scripts/test-qwen-network-config.sh b/scripts/test-qwen-network-config.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..1c42339d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-qwen-network-config.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
+tmp=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "$tmp"' EXIT HUP INT TERM
+mkdir -p "$tmp/deploy"
+cp compose.yaml "$tmp/compose.yaml"
+: >"$tmp/deploy/thothii.env"
+
+docker compose --project-directory "$tmp" config --format json >"$tmp/config.json"
+node - "$tmp/config.json" <<'NODE'
+const fs = require("fs");
+const config = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(process.argv[2], "utf8"));
+if (!config.networks?.localllm_default?.external) {
+  throw new Error("localllm_default must be an external network");
+}
+if (!config.services?.core?.networks?.localllm_default) {
+  throw new Error("core must join localllm_default");
+}
+if (config.services?.frontend?.networks?.localllm_default) {
+  throw new Error("frontend must not join the model network");
+}
+NODE