diff --git a/docs/configuring-playbook-email2matrix.md b/docs/configuring-playbook-email2matrix.md
index d65d2ccdb..73fcff551 100644
--- a/docs/configuring-playbook-email2matrix.md
+++ b/docs/configuring-playbook-email2matrix.md
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ matrix_email2matrix_matrix_mappings:
     SkipMarkdown: true
 ```
 
-You can also set `MatrixHomeserverUrl` to `http://matrix-synapse-reverse-proxy-companion:8008`, instead of the public `https://matrix.DOMAIN`.
-However, that's more likely to break in the future if you switch to another server implementation than Synapse.
+You can also set `MatrixHomeserverUrl` to the container URL where your homeserver's Client-Server API lives by using the `{{ matrix_homeserver_container_url }}` variable, instead of the public `https://matrix.DOMAIN` endpoint.
 
 Re-run the playbook (`--tags=setup-email2matrix,start`) and try sending an email to `my-mailbox@matrix.DOMAIN`.
diff --git a/group_vars/matrix_servers b/group_vars/matrix_servers
index f7624be6d..f7f9d6bd5 100755
--- a/group_vars/matrix_servers
+++ b/group_vars/matrix_servers
@@ -2940,8 +2940,20 @@ matrix_dynamic_dns_enabled: false
 
 matrix_email2matrix_enabled: false
 
+matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list_auto: |
+  {{
+    matrix_addons_homeserver_systemd_services_list
+  }}
+
 matrix_email2matrix_container_image_self_build: "{{ matrix_architecture not in ['amd64', 'arm32', 'arm64'] }}"
 
+matrix_email2matrix_container_network: "{{ matrix_addons_container_network }}"
+
+matrix_email2matrix_container_additional_networks_auto: |-
+  {{
+    ([] if matrix_addons_homeserver_container_network == '' else [matrix_addons_homeserver_container_network])
+  }}
+
 ######################################################################
 #
 # /matrix-email2matrix
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/defaults/main.yml b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/defaults/main.yml
index cdd287a81..8ea7637c7 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/defaults/main.yml
@@ -17,11 +17,20 @@ matrix_email2matrix_docker_image_prefix: "{{ 'localhost/' if matrix_email2matrix
 matrix_email2matrix_docker_image: "{{ matrix_email2matrix_docker_image_prefix }}devture/email2matrix:{{ matrix_email2matrix_version }}"
 matrix_email2matrix_docker_image_force_pull: "{{ matrix_email2matrix_docker_image.endswith(':latest') }}"
 
+matrix_email2matrix_container_network: ""
+
+matrix_email2matrix_container_additional_networks: "{{ matrix_email2matrix_container_additional_networks_auto + matrix_email2matrix_container_additional_networks_custom }}"
+matrix_email2matrix_container_additional_networks_auto: []
+matrix_email2matrix_container_additional_networks_custom: []
+
 # A list of extra arguments to pass to the container
 matrix_email2matrix_container_extra_arguments: []
 
 # List of systemd services that matrix-corporal.service depends on
-matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list: ['docker.service']
+matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list: "{{ matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list_default + matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list_auto + matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list_custom }}"
+matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list_default: ['docker.service']
+matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list_auto: []
+matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list_custom: []
 
 # Controls where the matrix-email2matrix container exposes the SMTP (tcp/2525 in the container).
 #
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/setup_install.yml b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/setup_install.yml
index 8cfbc5ea3..f6fe55e23 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/setup_install.yml
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/setup_install.yml
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@
       pull: true
   when: "matrix_email2matrix_container_image_self_build | bool"
 
+- name: Ensure matrix-email2matrix container network is created
+  community.general.docker_network:
+    name: "{{ matrix_email2matrix_container_network }}"
+    driver: bridge
+
 - name: Ensure matrix-email2matrix.service installed
   ansible.builtin.template:
     src: "{{ role_path }}/templates/systemd/matrix-email2matrix.service.j2"
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/validate_config.yml b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/validate_config.yml
index 8d89f1d6a..ab0ced5d0 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/validate_config.yml
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/tasks/validate_config.yml
@@ -5,3 +5,13 @@
     msg: >
       You need to define at least one mapping in `matrix_email2matrix_matrix_mappings` for enabling Email2Matrix.
   when: "matrix_email2matrix_matrix_mappings | length == 0"
+
+- name: Fail if required email2matrix settings not defined
+  ansible.builtin.fail:
+    msg: >-
+      You need to define a required configuration setting (`{{ item.name }}`).
+  when: "item.when | bool and vars[item.name] == ''"
+  with_items:
+    - {'name': 'matrix_email2matrix_container_network', when: true}
+
+
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/templates/systemd/matrix-email2matrix.service.j2 b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/templates/systemd/matrix-email2matrix.service.j2
index df0d1f85e..10d4de04d 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/templates/systemd/matrix-email2matrix.service.j2
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-email2matrix/templates/systemd/matrix-email2matrix.service.j2
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 #jinja2: lstrip_blocks: "True"
 [Unit]
 Description=Email2Matrix
-After=docker.service
-Requires=docker.service
+{% for service in matrix_email2matrix_systemd_required_services_list %}
+Requires={{ service }}
+After={{ service }}
+{% endfor %}
 DefaultDependencies=no
 
 [Service]
@@ -11,12 +13,14 @@ Environment="HOME={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_systemd_unit_home_path }}"
 ExecStartPre=-{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_sh }} -c '{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} stop --time={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_container_stop_grace_time_seconds }} matrix-email2matrix 2>/dev/null || true'
 ExecStartPre=-{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_sh }} -c '{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} rm matrix-email2matrix 2>/dev/null || true'
 
-ExecStart={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} run --rm --name matrix-email2matrix \
+ExecStartPre={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} create \
+			--rm \
+			--name=matrix-email2matrix \
 			--log-driver=none \
 			--user={{ matrix_user_uid }}:{{ matrix_user_gid }} \
 			--cap-drop=ALL \
 			--read-only \
-			--network={{ matrix_docker_network }} \
+			--network={{ matrix_email2matrix_container_network }} \
 			-p {{ matrix_email2matrix_smtp_host_bind_port }}:2525 \
 			--mount type=bind,src={{ matrix_email2matrix_config_dir_path }}/config.json,dst=/config.json,ro \
 			{% for arg in matrix_email2matrix_container_extra_arguments %}
@@ -24,6 +28,12 @@ ExecStart={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} run --rm --name
 			{% endfor %}
 			{{ matrix_email2matrix_docker_image }}
 
+{% for network in matrix_email2matrix_container_additional_networks %}
+ExecStartPre={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} network connect {{ network }} matrix-email2matrix
+{% endfor %}
+
+ExecStart={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} start --attach matrix-email2matrix
+
 ExecStop=-{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_sh }} -c '{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} stop --time={{ devture_systemd_docker_base_container_stop_grace_time_seconds }} matrix-email2matrix 2>/dev/null || true'
 ExecStop=-{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_sh }} -c '{{ devture_systemd_docker_base_host_command_docker }} rm matrix-email2matrix 2>/dev/null || true'
 Restart=always