diff --git a/docker_config/master_template.yml b/docker_config/master_template.yml
index 35708c00..1fd01e77 100644
--- a/docker_config/master_template.yml
+++ b/docker_config/master_template.yml
@@ -733,6 +733,7 @@ docker_cln_sh: |
           --model_name)          CLI_MODEL_NAME="$2"; shift ;;
           --num_epochs)          CLI_NUM_EPOCHS="$2"; shift ;;
           --config)              CLI_CONFIG="$2"; shift ;;
+          --container_name)      CONTAINER_NAME="$2"; shift ;;
           *) echo "Unknown parameter passed: $1"; exit 1 ;;
       esac
       shift
@@ -791,7 +792,10 @@ docker_cln_sh: |
       docker pull "$DOCKER_IMAGE"
   fi
 
-  CONTAINER_NAME=odelia_swarm_client_{~~client_name~~}___REPLACED_BY_CONTAINER_VERSION_IDENTIFIER_WHEN_BUILDING_DOCKER_IMAGE__
+  if [[ -z "$CONTAINER_NAME" ]]; then
+     CONTAINER_NAME=odelia_swarm_client_{~~client_name~~}___REPLACED_BY_CONTAINER_VERSION_IDENTIFIER_WHEN_BUILDING_DOCKER_IMAGE__
+  fi
+
   DOCKER_OPTIONS_A="--name=$CONTAINER_NAME --gpus=$GPU2USE -u $(id -u):$(id -g)"
   DOCKER_MOUNTS="-v /etc/passwd:/etc/passwd -v /etc/group:/etc/group -v $DIR/..:/startupkit/ -v $MY_SCRATCH_DIR:/scratch/"
   if [ -n "$MY_DATA_DIR" ]; then
@@ -929,6 +933,7 @@ docker_cln_sh: |
       echo "                         when running with sudo, as sudo resets environment variables"
       echo "--num_epochs <n>         set number of training epochs (default: 100)"
       echo "--config <name>          set config name (default: unilateral)"
+      echo "--container_name <name>  set name for the Docker container to override default using version number"
       exit 1
   fi
 
diff --git a/scripts/ci/runIntegrationTests.sh b/scripts/ci/runIntegrationTests.sh
index b445b39c..73710df5 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/runIntegrationTests.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/runIntegrationTests.sh
@@ -297,6 +297,29 @@ run_docker_gpu_preflight_check () {
 }
 
 
+run_two_containers_in_parallel () {
+    # requires having built a startup kit
+    echo "[Run] Starting two containers in parallel (local dummy training via startup kit) ..."
+    cd "$PROJECT_DIR/prod_00/client_A/startup/"
+    CONSOLE_OUTPUT=docker_gpu_preflight_check_console_output.txt
+    timeout --signal=kill 1m ./docker.sh --scratch_dir "$SCRATCH_DIR"/client_A --GPU "$GPU_FOR_TESTING" --dummy_training --no_pull 2>&1 | tee "$CONSOLE_OUTPUT" &
+    sleep 1
+
+    CONSOLE_OUTPUT_A=docker_gpu_preflight_check_console_output_a.txt
+    timeout --signal=kill 1m ./docker.sh --scratch_dir "$SCRATCH_DIR"/client_A --GPU "$GPU_FOR_TESTING" --dummy_training --no_pull --container_name MediSwarmODELIATestSecondContainer 2>&1 | tee "$CONSOLE_OUTPUT_A" &
+    sleep 60
+
+    if grep -q "Epoch 1: 100%" "$CONSOLE_OUTPUT_A" && grep -q "Training completed successfully" "$CONSOLE_OUTPUT_A"; then
+        echo "✅ Expected output of running two containers in parallel found"
+    else
+        echo "❌ Missing expected output of running two containers in parallel"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    cd "$CWD"
+}
+
+
 run_data_access_preflight_check () {
     # requires having built a startup kit and synthetic dataset
     echo "[Run] Data access preflight check..."
@@ -802,6 +825,12 @@ case "$1" in
         cleanup_temporary_data
         ;;
 
+    run_two_containers_in_parallel)
+        create_startup_kits_and_check_contained_files
+        run_two_containers_in_parallel
+        cleanup_temporary_data
+        ;;
+
     run_data_access_preflight_check)
         create_startup_kits_and_check_contained_files
         create_synthetic_data