diff --git a/libpod/boltdb_state.go b/libpod/boltdb_state.go
index 77c2348925..db48171d63 100644
--- a/libpod/boltdb_state.go
+++ b/libpod/boltdb_state.go
@@ -1232,6 +1232,16 @@ func (s *BoltState) GetNetworks(ctr *Container) (map[string]types.PerNetworkOpti
 // NetworkConnect adds the given container to the given network. If aliases are
 // specified, those will be added to the given network.
 func (s *BoltState) NetworkConnect(ctr *Container, network string, opts types.PerNetworkOptions) error {
+	return s.networkModify(ctr, network, opts, true)
+}
+
+// NetworkModify will allow you to set new options on an existing connected network
+func (s *BoltState) NetworkModify(ctr *Container, network string, opts types.PerNetworkOptions) error {
+	return s.networkModify(ctr, network, opts, false)
+}
+
+// networkModify allows you to modify or add a new network, to add a new network use the new bool
+func (s *BoltState) networkModify(ctr *Container, network string, opts types.PerNetworkOptions, new bool) error {
 	if !s.valid {
 		return define.ErrDBClosed
 	}
@@ -1278,11 +1288,14 @@ func (s *BoltState) NetworkConnect(ctr *Container, network string, opts types.Pe
 			return fmt.Errorf("container %s does not have a network bucket: %w", ctr.ID(), define.ErrNoSuchNetwork)
 		}
 		netConnected := ctrNetworksBkt.Get([]byte(network))
-		if netConnected != nil {
+
+		if new && netConnected != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("container %s is already connected to network %q: %w", ctr.ID(), network, define.ErrNetworkConnected)
+		} else if !new && netConnected == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("container %s is not connected to network %q: %w", ctr.ID(), network, define.ErrNoSuchNetwork)
 		}
 
-		// Add the network
+		// Modify/Add the network
 		if err := ctrNetworksBkt.Put([]byte(network), optBytes); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("adding container %s to network %s in DB: %w", ctr.ID(), network, err)
 		}
diff --git a/libpod/container_internal_common.go b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
index bfb5d233e4..38b5887897 100644
--- a/libpod/container_internal_common.go
+++ b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
@@ -1255,6 +1255,25 @@ func (c *Container) restore(ctx context.Context, options ContainerCheckpointOpti
 	c.state.RestoreLog = path.Join(c.bundlePath(), "restore.log")
 	c.state.CheckpointPath = c.CheckpointPath()
 
+	if options.IgnoreStaticIP || options.IgnoreStaticMAC {
+		networks, err := c.networks()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, 0, err
+		}
+
+		for net, opts := range networks {
+			if options.IgnoreStaticIP {
+				opts.StaticIPs = nil
+			}
+			if options.IgnoreStaticMAC {
+				opts.StaticMAC = nil
+			}
+			if err := c.runtime.state.NetworkModify(c, net, opts); err != nil {
+				return nil, 0, fmt.Errorf("failed to rewrite network config: %w", err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Read network configuration from checkpoint
 	var netStatus map[string]types.StatusBlock
 	_, err := metadata.ReadJSONFile(&netStatus, c.bundlePath(), metadata.NetworkStatusFile)
@@ -1282,7 +1301,7 @@ func (c *Container) restore(ctx context.Context, options ContainerCheckpointOpti
 			perNetOpts.StaticIPs = nil
 			for name, netInt := range netStatus[network].Interfaces {
 				perNetOpts.InterfaceName = name
-				if !options.IgnoreStaticIP {
+				if !options.IgnoreStaticMAC {
 					perNetOpts.StaticMAC = netInt.MacAddress
 				}
 				if !options.IgnoreStaticIP {
diff --git a/libpod/state.go b/libpod/state.go
index 5fa8dc257b..6548a6828a 100644
--- a/libpod/state.go
+++ b/libpod/state.go
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ type State interface { //nolint:interfacebloat
 	GetNetworks(ctr *Container) (map[string]types.PerNetworkOptions, error)
 	// Add the container to the given network with the given options
 	NetworkConnect(ctr *Container, network string, opts types.PerNetworkOptions) error
+	// Modify the container network with the given options.
+	NetworkModify(ctr *Container, network string, opts types.PerNetworkOptions) error
 	// Remove the container from the given network, removing all aliases for
 	// the container in that network in the process.
 	NetworkDisconnect(ctr *Container, network string) error
diff --git a/pkg/checkpoint/checkpoint_restore.go b/pkg/checkpoint/checkpoint_restore.go
index c28ff3110e..f461363551 100644
--- a/pkg/checkpoint/checkpoint_restore.go
+++ b/pkg/checkpoint/checkpoint_restore.go
@@ -81,18 +81,6 @@ func CRImportCheckpoint(ctx context.Context, runtime *libpod.Runtime, restoreOpt
 		}
 	}
 
-	if restoreOptions.IgnoreStaticIP || restoreOptions.IgnoreStaticMAC {
-		for net, opts := range ctrConfig.Networks {
-			if restoreOptions.IgnoreStaticIP {
-				opts.StaticIPs = nil
-			}
-			if restoreOptions.IgnoreStaticMAC {
-				opts.StaticMAC = nil
-			}
-			ctrConfig.Networks[net] = opts
-		}
-	}
-
 	ctrID := ctrConfig.ID
 	newName := false
 
diff --git a/test/system/520-checkpoint.bats b/test/system/520-checkpoint.bats
index ebb060b21a..dc49871749 100644
--- a/test/system/520-checkpoint.bats
+++ b/test/system/520-checkpoint.bats
@@ -220,4 +220,187 @@ function teardown() {
     trim=$(sed -z -e 's/[\r\n]\+//g' <<<"$output")
     is "$trim" "READY123123" "File lock restored"
 }
+
+@test "podman checkpoint/restore ip and mac handling" {
+    # Refer to https://github.com/containers/podman/issues/16666#issuecomment-1337860545
+    # for the correct behavior, this should cover all cases listed there.
+    local netname=net-$(random_string)
+    local subnet="$(random_rfc1918_subnet)"
+    run_podman network create --subnet "$subnet.0/24" $netname
+
+    run_podman run -d --network $netname $IMAGE sleep inf
+    cid="$output"
+    # get current ip and mac
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip1="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac1="$output"
+
+    run_podman container checkpoint $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+    run_podman container restore $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+
+    # now get mac and ip after restore they should be the same
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip2="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac2="$output"
+
+    assert "$ip2" == "$ip1" "ip after restore should match"
+    assert "$mac2" == "$mac1" "mac after restore should match"
+
+    # restart the container we should get a new ip/mac because they are not static
+    run_podman restart $cid
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip3="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac3="$output"
+
+    # the ip/mac should be different this time
+    assert "$ip3" != "$ip1" "ip after restart should be different"
+    assert "$mac3" != "$mac1" "mac after restart should be different"
+
+    # restore with --ignore-static-ip/mac
+    run_podman container checkpoint $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+    run_podman container restore --ignore-static-ip --ignore-static-mac $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip4="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac4="$output"
+
+    # the ip/mac should be different this time
+    assert "$ip4" != "$ip3" "ip after restore --ignore-static-ip should be different"
+    assert "$mac4" != "$mac3" "mac after restore --ignore-static-mac should be different"
+
+    local archive=$PODMAN_TMPDIR/checkpoint.tar.gz
+
+    # now checkpoint and export the container
+    run_podman container checkpoint --export "$archive" $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+    # remove container
+    run_podman rm -t 0 -f $cid
+
+    # restore it without new name should keep the ip/mac, we also get a new container id
+    run_podman container restore --import "$archive"
+    cid="$output"
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip5="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac5="$output"
+    assert "$ip5" == "$ip4" "ip after restore --import should match"
+    assert "$mac5" == "$mac4" "mac after restore --import should match"
+
+    run_podman rm -t 0 -f $cid
+
+    # now restore it again but with --name this time, it should not keep the
+    # mac and ip to allow restoring the same container with different names
+    # at the same time
+    run_podman container restore --import "$archive" --name "newcon"
+    cid="$output"
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip6="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac6="$output"
+    assert "$ip6" != "$ip5" "ip after restore --import --name should be different"
+    assert "$mac6" != "$mac5" "mac after restore --import --name should be different"
+
+    run_podman rm -t 0 -f $cid
+
+    # now create a container with a static mac and ip
+    local static_ip="$subnet.2"
+    local static_mac="92:d0:c6:0a:29:38"
+    run_podman run -d --network "$netname:ip=$static_ip,mac=$static_mac" $IMAGE sleep inf
+    cid="$output"
+
+    run_podman container checkpoint $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+    run_podman container restore --ignore-static-ip --ignore-static-mac $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip7="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac7="$output"
+    assert "$ip7" != "$static_ip" "static ip after restore --ignore-static-ip should be different"
+    assert "$mac7" != "$static_mac" "static mac after restore --ignore-static-mac should be different"
+
+    # restart the container to make sure the change is actually persistent in the config and not just set for restore
+    run_podman restart $cid
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip8="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac8="$output"
+    assert "$ip8" != "$static_ip" "static ip after restore --ignore-static-ip and restart should be different"
+    assert "$mac8" != "$static_mac" "static mac after restore --ignore-static-mac and restart should be different"
+    assert "$ip8" != "$ip7" "static ip after restore --ignore-static-ip and restart should be different"
+    assert "$mac8" != "$ip" "static mac after restore --ignore-static-mac and restart should be different"
+
+    run_podman rm -t 0 -f $cid
+
+    # now create container again and try the same again with --export and --import
+    run_podman run -d --network "$netname:ip=$static_ip,mac=$static_mac" $IMAGE sleep inf
+    cid="$output"
+
+    run_podman container checkpoint --export "$archive" $cid
+    is "$output" "$cid"
+    # remove container
+    run_podman rm -t 0 -f $cid
+
+    # restore normal should keep static ip
+    run_podman container restore --import "$archive"
+    cid="$output"
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip9="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac9="$output"
+    assert "$ip9" == "$static_ip" "static ip after restore --import should match"
+    assert "$mac9" == "$static_mac" "static mac after restore --import should match"
+
+    # restart the container to make sure the change is actually persistent in the config and not just set for restore
+    run_podman restart $cid
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip10="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac10="$output"
+    assert "$ip10" == "$static_ip" "static ip after restore --import and restart should match"
+    assert "$mac10" == "$static_mac" "static mac after restore --import and restart should match"
+
+    run_podman rm -t 0 -f $cid
+
+    # restore normal without keeping static ip/mac
+    run_podman container restore --ignore-static-ip --ignore-static-mac --import "$archive"
+    cid="$output"
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip11="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac11="$output"
+    assert "$ip11" != "$static_ip" "static ip after restore --import --ignore-static-ip should be different"
+    assert "$mac11" != "$static_mac" "static mac after restore --import --ignore-static-mac should be different"
+
+    # restart the container to make sure the change is actually persistent in the config and not just set for restore
+    run_podman restart $cid
+
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").IPAddress}}"
+    ip12="$output"
+    run_podman inspect $cid --format "{{(index .NetworkSettings.Networks \"$netname\").MacAddress}}"
+    mac12="$output"
+    assert "$ip12" != "$static_ip" "static ip after restore --import --ignore-static-ip and restart should be different"
+    assert "$mac12" != "$static_mac" "static mac after restore --ignore-static-mac and restart should be different"
+    assert "$ip12" != "$ip11" "static ip after restore --import --ignore-static-ip and restart should be different"
+    assert "$mac12" != "$ip11" "static mac after restore --ignore-static-mac and restart should be different"
+
+    run_podman rm -t 0 -f $cid
+    run_podman network rm $netname
+}
+
 # vim: filetype=sh