diff --git a/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py b/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py
index 30612f5e..cf1ef201 100644
--- a/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py
+++ b/gns3server/compute/docker/docker_vm.py
@@ -323,6 +323,9 @@ class DockerVM(BaseNode):
         Creates the Docker container.
         """
 
+        if ":" in self.working_dir:
+            raise DockerError("Cannot create a Docker container with a project name containing a colon character (':')")
+
         try:
             image_infos = await self._get_image_information()
         except DockerHttp404Error:
diff --git a/tests/compute/docker/test_docker_vm.py b/tests/compute/docker/test_docker_vm.py
index 4ea89dff..4d1b2402 100644
--- a/tests/compute/docker/test_docker_vm.py
+++ b/tests/compute/docker/test_docker_vm.py
@@ -222,6 +222,21 @@ async def test_create_with_extra_hosts(compute_project, manager):
         assert vm._extra_hosts == extra_hosts
 
 
+async def test_create_with_colon_in_project_name(compute_project, manager):
+
+    response = {
+        "Id": "e90e34656806",
+        "Warnings": []
+    }
+
+    with asyncio_patch("gns3server.compute.docker.Docker.list_images", return_value=[{"image": "ubuntu"}]):
+        with asyncio_patch("gns3server.compute.docker.Docker.query", return_value=response):
+            with patch("gns3server.compute.project.Project.node_working_directory", return_value="/tmp/test_:_/"):
+                vm = DockerVM("test", str(uuid.uuid4()), compute_project, manager, "ubuntu")
+                with pytest.raises(DockerError):
+                    await vm.create()
+
+
 async def test_create_with_extra_hosts_wrong_format(compute_project, manager):
     extra_hosts = "test"