diff --git a/test-network/network.sh b/test-network/network.sh
index 80df65b4..1bf091f4 100755
--- a/test-network/network.sh
+++ b/test-network/network.sh
@@ -267,9 +267,25 @@ function networkUp() {
 # call the script to create the channel, join the peers of org1 and org2,
 # and then update the anchor peers for each organization
 function createChannel() {
-  # Bring up the network if it is not already up.
+  # Bring up the network if it is not already up. 
+  bringUpNetwork="false"
 
-  if [ ! -d "organizations/peerOrganizations" ]; then
+  if ! $CONTAINER_CLI info > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
+    fatalln "$CONTAINER_CLI network is required to be running to create a channel"
+  fi
+
+  # check if all containers are present 
+  CONTAINERS=($($CONTAINER_CLI ps | grep hyperledger/ | awk '{print $2}'))
+  len=$(echo ${#CONTAINERS[@]})
+  
+  if [[ $len -ge 4 ]] && [[ ! -d "organizations/peerOrganizations" ]]; then
+    echo "Bringing network down to sync certs with containers"
+    networkDown 
+  fi
+
+  [[ $len -lt 4 ]] || [[ ! -d "organizations/peerOrganizations" ]] && bringUpNetwork="true" || echo "Network Running Already"
+
+  if [ $bringUpNetwork == "true"  ]; then
     infoln "Bringing up network"
     networkUp
   fi