diff --git a/runconfig/parse.go b/runconfig/parse.go
index 06e380d4fa..262a04eb4b 100644
--- a/runconfig/parse.go
+++ b/runconfig/parse.go
@@ -284,16 +284,17 @@ func parseKeyValueOpts(opts opts.ListOpts) ([]utils.KeyValuePair, error) {
 
 func parseNetMode(netMode string) (string, string, error) {
 	parts := strings.Split(netMode, ":")
-	if len(parts) < 1 {
-		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("'netmode' cannot be empty", netMode)
-	}
-	mode := parts[0]
-	var container string
-	if mode == "container" {
-		if len(parts) < 2 {
+	switch mode := parts[0]; mode {
+	case "bridge", "disable":
+		return mode, "", nil
+	case "container":
+		var container string
+		if len(parts) < 2 || parts[1] == "" {
 			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("'container:' netmode requires a container id or name", netMode)
 		}
 		container = parts[1]
+		return mode, container, nil
+	default:
+		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("invalid netmode: %q", netMode)
 	}
-	return mode, container, nil
 }
diff --git a/runconfig/parse_test.go b/runconfig/parse_test.go
index fd28c4593e..9ac925f2ac 100644
--- a/runconfig/parse_test.go
+++ b/runconfig/parse_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 package runconfig
 
 import (
-	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/utils"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/dotcloud/docker/utils"
 )
 
 func TestParseLxcConfOpt(t *testing.T) {
@@ -21,3 +22,33 @@ func TestParseLxcConfOpt(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestParseNetMode(t *testing.T) {
+	testFlags := []struct {
+		flag      string
+		mode      string
+		container string
+		err       bool
+	}{
+		{"", "", "", true},
+		{"bridge", "bridge", "", false},
+		{"disable", "disable", "", false},
+		{"container:foo", "container", "foo", false},
+		{"container:", "", "", true},
+		{"container", "", "", true},
+		{"unknown", "", "", true},
+	}
+
+	for _, to := range testFlags {
+		mode, container, err := parseNetMode(to.flag)
+		if mode != to.mode {
+			t.Fatalf("-net %s: expected net mode: %q, got: %q", to.flag, to.mode, mode)
+		}
+		if container != to.container {
+			t.Fatalf("-net %s: expected net container: %q, got: %q", to.flag, to.container, container)
+		}
+		if (err != nil) != to.err {
+			t.Fatal("-net %s: expected an error got none", to.flag)
+		}
+	}
+}