diff --git a/clore_hosting/main.py b/clore_hosting/main.py
index 5779abd..f391f78 100644
--- a/clore_hosting/main.py
+++ b/clore_hosting/main.py
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ async def configure_networks(containers):
     except Exception as e:
         return False
     
-async def deploy_containers(validated_containers):
+async def deploy_containers(validated_containers, allowed_running_containers):
     try:
-        all_running_container_names, all_stopped_container_names = await asyncio.to_thread(docker_deploy.deploy, validated_containers)
+        all_running_container_names, all_stopped_container_names = await asyncio.to_thread(docker_deploy.deploy, validated_containers, allowed_running_containers)
         return types.DeployContainersRes(all_running_container_names=all_running_container_names, all_stopped_container_names=all_stopped_container_names)
     except Exception as e:
         return False
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ class CloreClient:
         nvml.init(allow_hive_binaries=not self.dont_use_hive_binaries)
 
         self.extra_allowed_images = utils.get_extra_allowed_images()
+        self.allowed_running_containers = utils.get_allowed_container_names()
 
         self.gpu_oc_specs = nvml.get_gpu_oc_specs()
         self.last_oc_service_submit = 0
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ class CloreClient:
         task1 = asyncio.create_task(self.main(pull_list, monitoring))
         task2 = asyncio.create_task(self.handle_container_cache(pull_list, monitoring))
         task3 = asyncio.create_task(self.startup_script_runner(monitoring))
-        task4 = asyncio.create_task(log_streaming_task.log_streaming_task(container_log_broken, monitoring))
+        task4 = asyncio.create_task(log_streaming_task.log_streaming_task(container_log_broken, monitoring, self.allowed_running_containers))
         task5 = asyncio.create_task(self.container_log_streaming_service(monitoring))
         task6 = asyncio.create_task(self.specs_service(monitoring))
         task7 = asyncio.create_task(self.oc_service(monitoring))
@@ -397,7 +398,7 @@ class CloreClient:
                     tasks.append(WebSocketClient.stream_pull_logs())
 
                 if self.validated_containers_set:
-                    tasks.append(deploy_containers(self.validated_containers))
+                    tasks.append(deploy_containers(self.validated_containers, self.allowed_running_containers))
 
                 if step==1:
                     WebSocketClient.set_auth(self.auth_key)
diff --git a/lib/docker_deploy.py b/lib/docker_deploy.py
index 83838b2..16b7f1b 100644
--- a/lib/docker_deploy.py
+++ b/lib/docker_deploy.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ client = docker_interface.client
 config = config_module.config
 log = logging_lib.log
 
-def deploy(validated_containers):
+def deploy(validated_containers, allowed_running_containers=[]):
     local_images = docker_interface.get_local_images()
     all_containers = docker_interface.get_containers(all=True)
 
@@ -166,13 +166,13 @@ def deploy(validated_containers):
                     container.stop()
                 except Exception as e:
                     pass
-            elif container.name not in paused_names+needed_running_names and container.status == 'running':
+            elif container.name not in paused_names+needed_running_names+allowed_running_containers and container.status == 'running':
                 try:
                     container.stop()
                     container.remove()
                 except Exception as e:
                     pass
-            elif container.name not in paused_names+needed_running_names:
+            elif container.name not in paused_names+needed_running_names+allowed_running_containers:
                 try:
                     container.remove()
                 except Exception as e:
diff --git a/lib/log_streaming_task.py b/lib/log_streaming_task.py
index 66522bb..97073da 100644
--- a/lib/log_streaming_task.py
+++ b/lib/log_streaming_task.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from lib import container_logs
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 import queue  # Import the synchronous queue module
 
-async def log_streaming_task(message_broker, monitoring):
+async def log_streaming_task(message_broker, monitoring, do_not_stream_containers):
     client = docker_interface.client
     executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=4)
     tasks = {}
@@ -29,14 +29,15 @@ async def log_streaming_task(message_broker, monitoring):
 
             # Start tasks for new containers
             for container_name, container in current_containers.items():
-                log_container_names.append(container_name)
-                if container_name not in tasks:
-                    log.debug(f"log_streaming_task() | Starting task for {container_name}")
-                    sync_queue = queue.Queue()
-                    task = asyncio.ensure_future(asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(
-                        executor, container_logs.stream_logs, container_name, sync_queue))
-                    tasks[container_name] = task
-                    queues[container_name] = sync_queue
+                if not container_name in do_not_stream_containers:
+                    log_container_names.append(container_name)
+                    if container_name not in tasks:
+                        log.debug(f"log_streaming_task() | Starting task for {container_name}")
+                        sync_queue = queue.Queue()
+                        task = asyncio.ensure_future(asyncio.get_event_loop().run_in_executor(
+                            executor, container_logs.stream_logs, container_name, sync_queue))
+                        tasks[container_name] = task
+                        queues[container_name] = sync_queue
 
             await message_broker.put(log_container_names)
 
diff --git a/lib/utils.py b/lib/utils.py
index a34347c..695c8e9 100644
--- a/lib/utils.py
+++ b/lib/utils.py
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ def get_auth():
         return auth_str
     except Exception as e:
         return ''
+
+def get_allowed_container_names():
+    allowed_container_names = os.getenv("ALLOWED_CONTAINER_NAMES")
+    if type(allowed_container_names)==str and len(allowed_container_names)>0:
+        return [x for x in allowed_container_names.split(',') if x]
+    return []
     
 def unix_timestamp():
     return int(time.time())