diff --git a/common/libnetwork/internal/util/parse.go b/common/libnetwork/internal/util/parse.go
index 2bda3b1228..74064eca79 100644
--- a/common/libnetwork/internal/util/parse.go
+++ b/common/libnetwork/internal/util/parse.go
@@ -34,3 +34,21 @@ func ParseVlan(vlan string) (int, error) {
 	}
 	return v, nil
 }
+
+// ParseIsolate parses the isolate option
+func ParseIsolate(isolate string) (string, error) {
+	switch isolate {
+	case "":
+		return "false", nil
+	case "strict":
+		return isolate, nil
+	default:
+		// isolate option accepts "strict" and Rust boolean values "true" or "false"
+		optIsolateBool, err := strconv.ParseBool(isolate)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to parse isolate option: %w", err)
+		}
+		// Rust boolean only support "true" or "false" while go can parse 1 and 0 as well so we need to change it
+		return strconv.FormatBool(optIsolateBool), nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/common/libnetwork/internal/util/parse_test.go b/common/libnetwork/internal/util/parse_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..595b4bdd63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/libnetwork/internal/util/parse_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,217 @@
+package util
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestParseMTU(t *testing.T) {
+	type args struct {
+		mtuOption string
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		args    args
+		want    int
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "mtu default",
+			args: args{
+				mtuOption: "",
+			},
+			want: 0,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "mtu 1500",
+			args: args{
+				mtuOption: "1500",
+			},
+			want: 1500,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "mtu string",
+			args: args{
+				mtuOption: "thousand-fifty-hundred",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "mtu less than 0",
+			args: args{
+				mtuOption: "-1",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		tt := tt
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := ParseMTU(tt.args.mtuOption)
+			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
+				t.Errorf("ParseMTU() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
+				return
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Errorf("ParseMTU() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseVlan(t *testing.T) {
+	type args struct {
+		vlanOption string
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		args    args
+		want    int
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "vlan default",
+			args: args{
+				vlanOption: "",
+			},
+			want: 0,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "vlan 0",
+			args: args{
+				vlanOption: "0",
+			},
+			want: 0,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "vlan less than 0",
+			args: args{
+				vlanOption: "-1",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "vlan 4094",
+			args: args{
+				vlanOption: "4094",
+			},
+			want: 4094,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "vlan greater than 4094",
+			args: args{
+				vlanOption: "4095",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "vlan string",
+			args: args{
+				vlanOption: "thousand-fifty-hundred",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		tt := tt
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := ParseVlan(tt.args.vlanOption)
+			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
+				t.Errorf("ParseVlan() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
+				return
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Errorf("ParseVlan() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseIsolate(t *testing.T) {
+	type args struct {
+		isolateOption string
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		args    args
+		want    string
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "isolate default",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "",
+			},
+			want: "false",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate true",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "true",
+			},
+			want: "true",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate 1",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "1",
+			},
+			want: "true",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate greater than 1",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "2",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate false",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "false",
+			},
+			want: "false",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate 0",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "0",
+			},
+			want: "false",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate less than 0",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "-1",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate strict",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "strict",
+			},
+			want: "strict",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "isolate unknown value",
+			args: args{
+				isolateOption: "foobar",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		tt := tt
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := ParseIsolate(tt.args.isolateOption)
+			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
+				t.Errorf("ParseIsolate() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
+				return
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Errorf("ParseIsolate() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/common/libnetwork/netavark/config.go b/common/libnetwork/netavark/config.go
index aaf7843bee..de862d503c 100644
--- a/common/libnetwork/netavark/config.go
+++ b/common/libnetwork/netavark/config.go
@@ -187,12 +187,11 @@ func (n *netavarkNetwork) networkCreate(newNetwork *types.Network, defaultNet bo
 				}
 
 			case types.IsolateOption:
-				val, err := strconv.ParseBool(value)
+				val, err := internalutil.ParseIsolate(value)
 				if err != nil {
 					return nil, err
 				}
-				// rust only support "true" or "false" while go can parse 1 and 0 as well so we need to change it
-				newNetwork.Options[types.IsolateOption] = strconv.FormatBool(val)
+				newNetwork.Options[types.IsolateOption] = val
 			case types.MetricOption:
 				_, err := strconv.ParseUint(value, 10, 32)
 				if err != nil {
diff --git a/common/libnetwork/netavark/config_test.go b/common/libnetwork/netavark/config_test.go
index 21c961fa36..3546c9684d 100644
--- a/common/libnetwork/netavark/config_test.go
+++ b/common/libnetwork/netavark/config_test.go
@@ -1389,7 +1389,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Config", func() {
 			Expect(err.Error()).To(Equal("unknown ipvlan mode \"abc\""))
 		})
 
-		It("create network with isolate option", func() {
+		It("create network with isolate option 'true'", func() {
 			for _, val := range []string{"true", "1"} {
 				network := types.Network{
 					Options: map[string]string{
@@ -1407,6 +1407,22 @@ var _ = Describe("Config", func() {
 			}
 		})
 
+		It("create network with isolate option 'strict'", func() {
+			network := types.Network{
+				Options: map[string]string{
+					types.IsolateOption: "strict",
+				},
+			}
+			network1, err := libpodNet.NetworkCreate(network, nil)
+			Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+			Expect(network1.Driver).To(Equal("bridge"))
+			Expect(network1.Options).ToNot(BeNil())
+			path := filepath.Join(networkConfDir, network1.Name+".json")
+			Expect(path).To(BeARegularFile())
+			grepInFile(path, `"isolate": "strict"`)
+			Expect(network1.Options).To(HaveKeyWithValue("isolate", "strict"))
+		})
+
 		It("create network with invalid isolate option", func() {
 			network := types.Network{
 				Options: map[string]string{