diff --git a/packages/dockerCompose/src/userSettings.ts b/packages/dockerCompose/src/userSettings.ts
index 39d8fb567..759274267 100644
--- a/packages/dockerCompose/src/userSettings.ts
+++ b/packages/dockerCompose/src/userSettings.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 import path from "path";
-import { mapValues, pick, omitBy, isObject, merge } from "lodash-es";
+import {
+  mapValues,
+  pick,
+  omitBy,
+  isObject,
+  merge,
+  mergeWith,
+  isArray,
+  union,
+} from "lodash-es";
 import {
   parsePortMappings,
   stringifyPortMappings,
@@ -181,8 +190,18 @@ export function applyUserSettings(
       })
     );
 
-    // use lodash to merge networks and userSetNetworks with merge
-    const nextNetworks = merge(networks, userSetNetworks);
+    // docker aliases must be uinique
+    // TODO: use docker compose merge to automatically merge these dappnode docker compose properties
+    // see https://github.com/dappnode/DNP_DAPPMANAGER/issues/1983
+    const nextNetworks = mergeWith(
+      networks,
+      userSetNetworks,
+      (value1, value2) => {
+        return mergeWith(value1, value2, (subvalue1, subvalue2) => {
+          return union(subvalue1, subvalue2);
+        });
+      }
+    );
 
     // ##### <DEPRECATED> Kept for legacy compatibility
     const nextServiceVolumes = stringifyVolumeMappings(
diff --git a/packages/stakers/src/consensus.ts b/packages/stakers/src/consensus.ts
index 286788620..4ddf933dc 100644
--- a/packages/stakers/src/consensus.ts
+++ b/packages/stakers/src/consensus.ts
@@ -101,10 +101,14 @@ export class Consensus extends StakerComponent {
         this.DbHandlers[network].set(undefined);
         return;
       }
-      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled(
-        currentConsensusDnpName,
-        this.getUserSettings(currentConsensusDnpName, isInstalled, network)
-      );
+      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled({
+        dnpName: currentConsensusDnpName,
+        userSettings: this.getUserSettings(
+          currentConsensusDnpName,
+          isInstalled,
+          network
+        ),
+      });
       await this.DbHandlers[network].set(currentConsensusDnpName);
     }
   }
@@ -173,19 +177,19 @@ export class Consensus extends StakerComponent {
               },
             }
         : {},
-      networks:
-        beaconServiceName === validatorServiceName
-          ? {
-              rootNetworks: {
-                [params.DOCKER_STAKER_NETWORKS[network]]: {
-                  external: true,
-                },
-                [params.DOCKER_PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME]: {
-                  external: true,
-                },
-              },
-              serviceNetworks: {
-                ["beacon-validator"]: {
+      networks: {
+        rootNetworks: {
+          [params.DOCKER_STAKER_NETWORKS[network]]: {
+            external: true,
+          },
+          [params.DOCKER_PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME]: {
+            external: true,
+          },
+        },
+        serviceNetworks:
+          beaconServiceName === validatorServiceName
+            ? {
+                "beacon-validator": {
                   [params.DOCKER_STAKER_NETWORKS[network]]: {
                     aliases: [
                       `beacon-chain.${network}.staker.dappnode`,
@@ -199,19 +203,9 @@ export class Consensus extends StakerComponent {
                     ],
                   },
                 },
-              },
-            }
-          : {
-              rootNetworks: {
-                [params.DOCKER_STAKER_NETWORKS[network]]: {
-                  external: true,
-                },
-                [params.DOCKER_PRIVATE_NETWORK_NAME]: {
-                  external: true,
-                },
-              },
-              serviceNetworks: {
-                ["beacon-chain"]: {
+              }
+            : {
+                "beacon-chain": {
                   [params.DOCKER_STAKER_NETWORKS[network]]: {
                     aliases: [`beacon-chain.${network}.staker.dappnode`],
                   },
@@ -219,7 +213,7 @@ export class Consensus extends StakerComponent {
                     aliases: [`beacon-chain.${network}.dncore.dappnode`],
                   },
                 },
-                ["validator"]: {
+                validator: {
                   [params.DOCKER_STAKER_NETWORKS[network]]: {
                     aliases: [`validator.${network}.staker.dappnode`],
                   },
@@ -228,7 +222,7 @@ export class Consensus extends StakerComponent {
                   },
                 },
               },
-            },
+      },
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/stakers/src/execution.ts b/packages/stakers/src/execution.ts
index 3f606b771..e9f9ab45a 100644
--- a/packages/stakers/src/execution.ts
+++ b/packages/stakers/src/execution.ts
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ export class Execution extends StakerComponent {
         this.DbHandlers[network].set(undefined);
         return;
       }
-      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled(
-        currentExecutionDnpName,
-        this.getUserSettings(network, currentExecutionDnpName)
-      );
+      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled({
+        dnpName: currentExecutionDnpName,
+        userSettings: this.getUserSettings(network, currentExecutionDnpName),
+      });
       await this.DbHandlers[network].set(currentExecutionDnpName);
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/stakers/src/mevBoost.ts b/packages/stakers/src/mevBoost.ts
index e7396029e..27a6660ce 100644
--- a/packages/stakers/src/mevBoost.ts
+++ b/packages/stakers/src/mevBoost.ts
@@ -91,10 +91,10 @@ export class MevBoost extends StakerComponent {
         this.DbHandlers[network].set(false);
         return;
       }
-      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled(
-        currentMevBoostDnpName,
-        this.getUserSettings([], false, network)
-      );
+      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled({
+        dnpName: currentMevBoostDnpName,
+        userSettings: this.getUserSettings([], false, network),
+      });
       this.DbHandlers[network].set(true);
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/stakers/src/signer.ts b/packages/stakers/src/signer.ts
index c61718665..445ff4b6e 100644
--- a/packages/stakers/src/signer.ts
+++ b/packages/stakers/src/signer.ts
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ export class Signer extends StakerComponent {
         })
       )?.containers.some((container) => container.running)
     )
-      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled(
-        Signer.CompatibleSigners[network].dnpName,
-        this.getUserSettings(network)
-      );
+      await this.persistSelectedIfInstalled({
+        dnpName: Signer.CompatibleSigners[network].dnpName,
+        userSettings: this.getUserSettings(network),
+      });
   }
 
   async setNewSigner(network: Network, newWeb3signerDnpName: string | null) {
diff --git a/packages/stakers/src/stakerComponent.ts b/packages/stakers/src/stakerComponent.ts
index 335ab1a50..73bc0b66c 100644
--- a/packages/stakers/src/stakerComponent.ts
+++ b/packages/stakers/src/stakerComponent.ts
@@ -74,12 +74,15 @@ export class StakerComponent {
     );
   }
 
-  protected async persistSelectedIfInstalled(
-    dnpName: string,
-    userSettings: UserSettings
-  ): Promise<void> {
+  protected async persistSelectedIfInstalled({
+    dnpName,
+    userSettings,
+  }: {
+    dnpName: string;
+    userSettings: UserSettings;
+  }): Promise<void> {
     logs.info(`Persisting ${dnpName}`);
-    await this.setStakerPkgConfig(dnpName, userSettings);
+    await this.setStakerPkgConfig({ dnpName, isInstalled: true, userSettings });
   }
 
   protected async setNew({
@@ -122,7 +125,13 @@ export class StakerComponent {
 
     if (!newStakerDnpName) return;
     // set staker config
-    await this.setStakerPkgConfig(newStakerDnpName, userSettings);
+    await this.setStakerPkgConfig({
+      dnpName: newStakerDnpName,
+      isInstalled: Boolean(
+        await listPackageNoThrow({ dnpName: newStakerDnpName })
+      ),
+      userSettings,
+    });
   }
 
   /**
@@ -132,12 +141,17 @@ export class StakerComponent {
    * - adds the staker network to the docker-compose file
    * - starts the staker pkg
    */
-  private async setStakerPkgConfig(
-    dnpName: string,
-    userSettings: UserSettings
-  ): Promise<void> {
+  private async setStakerPkgConfig({
+    dnpName,
+    isInstalled,
+    userSettings,
+  }: {
+    dnpName: string;
+    isInstalled: boolean;
+    userSettings: UserSettings;
+  }): Promise<void> {
     // ensure pkg installed
-    if (!(await listPackageNoThrow({ dnpName })))
+    if (!isInstalled)
       await packageInstall(this.dappnodeInstaller, {
         name: dnpName,
         userSettings: userSettings ? { [dnpName]: userSettings } : {},