diff --git a/home/scripts/lxc/lab-create.sh b/home/scripts/lxc/lab-create.sh
index 9ef3309..c5aa6fc 100644
--- a/home/scripts/lxc/lab-create.sh
+++ b/home/scripts/lxc/lab-create.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,19 @@ echo "Creating LXC container ${CONTAINER}..."
 # lxc-create -n "$CONTAINER" -t download -- -d ubuntu -r noble -a amd64
 lxc-create -n "$CONTAINER" -f /etc/lxc/default.conf -t download -- -d ubuntu -r noble -a amd64
 
+
+# configure DHCP before first boot
+mkdir -p "/var/lib/lxc/${CONTAINER}/rootfs/etc/netplan"
+cat > "/var/lib/lxc/${CONTAINER}/rootfs/etc/netplan/10-dhcp.yaml" <<EOF
+network:
+  version: 2
+  ethernets:
+    eth0:
+      dhcp4: true
+      nameservers:
+        addresses: [8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1]
+EOF
+
 # start it
 lxc-start -n "$CONTAINER"
 
diff --git a/system/lxc.nix b/system/lxc.nix
index d319584..6597c71 100644
--- a/system/lxc.nix
+++ b/system/lxc.nix
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
     lxcfs.enable = true;
   };
 
+  networking.networkmanager.unmanaged = [ "br0" ];
+
   virtualisation.lxc.defaultConfig = ''
     lxc.net.0.type = veth
     lxc.net.0.link = br0