diff --git a/pkg/cannon/ethereum/beacon.go b/pkg/cannon/ethereum/beacon.go
index 1185cc3f..46b2e1a4 100644
--- a/pkg/cannon/ethereum/beacon.go
+++ b/pkg/cannon/ethereum/beacon.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/attestantio/go-eth2-client/spec"
 	"github.com/ethpandaops/beacon/pkg/beacon"
 	"github.com/ethpandaops/xatu/pkg/cannon/ethereum/services"
+	"github.com/ethpandaops/xatu/pkg/networks"
 	"github.com/ethpandaops/xatu/pkg/observability"
 	"github.com/go-co-op/gocron"
 	"github.com/jellydator/ttlcache/v3"
@@ -113,6 +114,10 @@ func (b *BeaconNode) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 			wg.Wait()
 		}
 
+		if b.Metadata().Network.Name == networks.NetworkNameUnknown {
+			errs <- errors.New("unknown network detected. Please override the network name via config if you are using a custom network")
+		}
+
 		b.log.Info("All services are ready")
 
 		for _, callback := range b.onReadyCallbacks {
diff --git a/pkg/cannon/ethereum/services/metadata.go b/pkg/cannon/ethereum/services/metadata.go
index cd3f3074..49e038a3 100644
--- a/pkg/cannon/ethereum/services/metadata.go
+++ b/pkg/cannon/ethereum/services/metadata.go
@@ -159,12 +159,18 @@ func (m *MetadataService) DeriveNetwork(_ context.Context) error {
 		return errors.New("genesis is not available")
 	}
 
+	if m.Spec == nil {
+		return errors.New("spec is not available")
+	}
+
 	network := networks.DeriveFromGenesisRoot(xatuethv1.RootAsString(m.Genesis.GenesisValidatorsRoot))
 
 	if m.overrideNetworkName != "" {
 		network.Name = networks.NetworkName(m.overrideNetworkName)
 	}
 
+	network.ID = m.Spec.DepositChainID
+
 	if network.Name != m.Network.Name {
 		m.log.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 			"name": network.Name,