diff --git a/conf/include_functions.conf b/conf/include_functions.conf
index 92db714..ae7182c 100644
--- a/conf/include_functions.conf
+++ b/conf/include_functions.conf
@@ -121,6 +121,18 @@ detect_ipv6() {
 }
 
 
+# -------------
+# - Network Device Stuff
+# -------------
+
+# get virtual ethernet interfaces and the master of the given bridge
+#
+get_vth_ports() {
+  local br="$1"
+  # lists virtual interfaces (veth*)) and the master interface of the given bridge
+  ip -o link show master "$br" 2>/dev/null | awk -F': ' '{print $2}'
+}
+
 # -------------
 # - Fail2ban
 # -------------
diff --git a/ip6t-firewall-server b/ip6t-firewall-server
index 5cb146f..e88a638 100755
--- a/ip6t-firewall-server
+++ b/ip6t-firewall-server
@@ -84,33 +84,6 @@ if command -v ip6tables >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 fi
 
 
-# - Check if running inside a container
-# -
-host_is_vm=false
-
-# - If running in a LXC container 'cat /proc/1/environ | tr '\0' '\n' | grep ^container | grep lxc'
-# - returns "container=lxc"
-# -
-r_val="$(cat /proc/1/environ | tr '\0' '\n' | grep ^container | grep lxc)"
-if [[ -n "$r_val" ]] ; then
-   host_is_vm=true
-else
-
-   # ---
-   # -  For other container types we need a few more tricks
-   # ---
-
-   # Detect old-style libvirt
-   [ -n "$LIBVIRT_LXC_UUID" ] && host_is_vm=true
-
-   # Detect vserver
-   if ! $host_is_vm ; then
-      VXID="$(cat /proc/self/status | grep ^VxID | cut -f2)" || true
-      [ "${VXID:-0}" -gt 1 ] && host_is_vm=true
-   fi
-fi
-
-
 # -------------
 # --- Ensure required modules for this script (best effort; host-side in containers)
 # -------------
@@ -121,23 +94,24 @@ echononl "\tEnsure required modules are loaded.."
 if is_container ; then
    echo_skipped
 else
+
+   ensure_mod nf_conntrack
+   ensure_mod nf_nat
+   ensure_mod nf_conntrack_ftp
+   ensure_mod nf_nat_ftp
+   ensure_mod xt_recent
+   ensure_mod xt_hashlimit
+   ensure_mod xt_connlimit
+   ensure_mod xt_owner
+   ensure_mod xt_helper
+   ensure_mod br_netfilter
+
    echo_done
 fi
 
-ensure_mod nf_conntrack
-ensure_mod nf_nat
-ensure_mod nf_conntrack_ftp
-ensure_mod nf_nat_ftp
-ensure_mod xt_recent
-ensure_mod xt_hashlimit
-ensure_mod xt_connlimit
-ensure_mod xt_owner
-ensure_mod xt_helper
-ensure_mod br_netfilter
-
 
 # Disable automatic conntrack helper assignment (keep explicit CT --helper rules)
-if ! $host_is_vm ; then
+if ! is_container; then
    sysctl -w net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_helper=0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
 fi
 
@@ -176,7 +150,7 @@ echo
 # --- Activate IP Forwarding
 # -------------
 
-if ! $host_is_vm ; then
+if ! is_container ; then
 
    # ---
    # - Disable ip forwarding between interfaces
@@ -199,7 +173,7 @@ fi
 
 echononl "\tAdjust Kernel Parameters (Security/Tuning).."
 
-if ! $host_is_vm ; then
+if ! is_container ; then
 
    # ---
    # - Deactivate Source Routed Packets
@@ -222,7 +196,82 @@ if ! $host_is_vm ; then
 else
    echo_skipped
 
-fi # if ! $host_is_vm
+fi # if ! is_container
+
+
+
+# -------------
+# --- Prevent bridged traffic getting pushed through the host's iptables rules
+# -------------
+
+echo
+echononl "\tDo not firewall bridged / LX Gust System traffic"
+
+if ${do_not_firewall_bridged_traffic} || ${do_not_firewall_lx_guest_systems} ; then
+
+   if ! is_container; then
+
+      _done=false
+
+      for _dev in ${ext_if_arr[@]} ; do
+
+         # Try to detect  virtual interfaces (veth*)) and the master interface 
+         # of the given bridge  dynamically
+         #
+         #     ports="$(get_bridge_ports "$br")"
+         #
+         # or directly here:
+         #
+         # ports="$(ip -o link show master "${_dev}" 2>/dev/null | awk -F': ' '{print $2}')"
+         #
+         #     ports="$(ip -o link show master "${_dev}" 2>/dev/null | awk -F': ' '{print $2}')"
+         #
+         ports="$(ip -o link show master "${_dev}" 2>/dev/null | awk -F': ' '{print $2}')"
+
+         for _port in $ports ; do
+            $ip6t -A FORWARD -i "${_port}" -j ACCEPT
+            $ip6t -A FORWARD -o "${_port}" -j ACCEPT
+            _done=true
+         done
+
+      done
+
+      if ! ${_done} ; then
+         $ip6t -A FORWARD -i veth+ -j ACCEPT
+         $ip6t -A FORWARD -o veth+ -j ACCEPT
+      fi
+
+      echo_done
+   else
+      echo_skipped
+   fi
+else
+   echo_skipped
+fi
+
+
+echononl "\tTake care 'net.bridge.bridge-nf-call-ip6tables' is set to '1'.."
+if ${do_not_firewall_bridged_traffic} || ${do_not_firewall_lx_guest_systems} ; then
+
+   if ! is_container; then
+
+      _bridge_sysctl_ok=true
+
+      # IPv6: keep bridge netfilter on, but bypass host filtering for container ports
+      # (do NOT set bridge-nf-call-ip6tables=0)
+      sysctl -w net.bridge.bridge-nf-call-ip6tables=1 >/dev/null 2>&1 || _bridge_sysctl_ok=false
+
+      if ${_bridge_sysctl_ok} ; then
+         echo_done
+      else
+         echo_failed
+      fi
+
+   else
+      echo_skipped
+   fi
+fi
+
 
 
 # ------------- Fail2ban handling (do not stop/start; keep bans stable) -------------
@@ -292,54 +341,6 @@ else
 fi
 echo
 
-
-
-# -------------
-# --- Prevent bridged traffic getting pushed through the host's iptables rules
-# -------------
-
-echononl "\tDo not firewall bridged traffic"
-if $do_not_firewall_bridged_traffic ; then
-
-   # - Matches if the packet is being bridged and therefore is not being routed.
-   # - This is only useful in the FORWARD and POSTROUTING chains.
-   # -
-   $ip6t -I FORWARD -m physdev --physdev-is-bridged -j ACCEPT
-
-   # - Matches if the packet has entered through a bridge interface.
-   # -
-   $ip6t -I FORWARD -m physdev --physdev-is-in -j ACCEPT
-   # - Matches if the packet will leave through a bridge interface.
-   # -
-   $ip6t -I FORWARD -m physdev --physdev-is-out -j ACCEPT
-
-   echo_done
-else
-   echo_skipped
-fi
-echo
-
-
-# -------------
-# --- Do not firewall traffic from and to LX Gust Systems
-# -------------
-
-echononl "\tDo not firewall traffic from and to LX Gust Systems"
-if $do_not_firewall_lx_guest_systems && [[ ${#lxc_guest_ip_arr[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
-
-   for _ip in ${lxc_guest_ip_arr[@]} ; do
-
-      $ip6t -I FORWARD -p all -d $_ip -j ACCEPT
-      $ip6t -I FORWARD -p all -s $_ip -j ACCEPT
-
-   done
-   echo_done
-else
-   echo_skipped
-fi
-echo
-
-
 # -------------
 # ---- Log given IP Addresses
 # -------------
diff --git a/ipt-firewall-server b/ipt-firewall-server
index 241f115..b45cdd5 100755
--- a/ipt-firewall-server
+++ b/ipt-firewall-server
@@ -70,33 +70,6 @@ if ! "$ipt" --version 2>/dev/null | grep -q "nf_tables"; then
 fi
 
 
-# - Check if running inside a container
-# -
-host_is_vm=false
-
-# - If running in a LXC container 'cat /proc/1/environ | tr '\0' '\n' | grep ^container | grep lxc'
-# - returns "container=lxc"
-# -
-r_val="$(cat /proc/1/environ | tr '\0' '\n' | grep ^container | grep lxc)"
-if [[ -n "$r_val" ]] ; then
-	host_is_vm=true
-else
-
-	# ---
-	# -  For other container types we need a few more tricks
-   # ---
-
-	# Detect old-style libvirt
-	[ -n "$LIBVIRT_LXC_UUID" ] && host_is_vm=true
-
-	# Detect vserver
-	if ! $host_is_vm ; then
-		VXID="$(cat /proc/self/status | grep ^VxID | cut -f2)" || true
-		[ "${VXID:-0}" -gt 1 ] && host_is_vm=true
-	fi
-fi
-
-
 # -------------
 # --- Ensure required modules for this script (best effort; host-side in containers)
 # -------------
@@ -106,24 +79,25 @@ echononl "\tEnsure required modules are loaded.."
 if is_container ; then
    echo_skipped
 else
+
+   ensure_mod nf_conntrack
+   ensure_mod nf_nat
+   ensure_mod nf_conntrack_ftp
+   ensure_mod nf_nat_ftp
+   ensure_mod xt_recent
+   ensure_mod xt_hashlimit
+   ensure_mod xt_connlimit
+   ensure_mod xt_owner
+   ensure_mod xt_helper
+   ensure_mod br_netfilter
+
    echo_done
 fi
 
-ensure_mod nf_conntrack
-ensure_mod nf_nat
-ensure_mod nf_conntrack_ftp
-ensure_mod nf_nat_ftp
-ensure_mod xt_recent
-ensure_mod xt_hashlimit
-ensure_mod xt_connlimit
-ensure_mod xt_owner
-ensure_mod xt_helper
-ensure_mod br_netfilter
-
 
 # --- Security hardening / predictable conntrack behavior:
 # Disable automatic conntrack helper assignment (keep explicit CT --helper rules)
-if ! $host_is_vm ; then
+if ! is_container ; then
 	sysctl -w net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_helper=0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
 fi
 
@@ -201,7 +175,7 @@ fi
 echo ""
 echononl "\tAdjust Kernel Parameters (Security/Tuning).."
 
-if ! $host_is_vm ; then
+if ! is_container ; then
    ## - Reduce DoS'ing ability by reducing timeouts
    ## -
    if $kernel_reduce_timeouts ; then
@@ -271,6 +245,78 @@ else
 fi
 
 
+# -------------
+# --- Prevent bridged traffic getting pushed through the host's iptables rules
+# -------------
+
+echo
+echononl "\tDo not firewall bridged / LX Gust System traffic"
+
+if ${do_not_firewall_bridged_traffic} || ${do_not_firewall_lx_guest_systems} ; then
+
+   if ! is_container; then
+
+      _done=false
+
+      for _dev in ${ext_if_arr[@]} ; do
+
+         # Try to detect  virtual interfaces (veth*)) and the master interface 
+         # of the given bridge  dynamically
+         #
+         #     ports="$(get_bridge_ports "$br")"
+         #
+         # or directly here:
+         #
+         # ports="$(ip -o link show master "${_dev}" 2>/dev/null | awk -F': ' '{print $2}')"
+         #
+         #     ports="$(ip -o link show master "${_dev}" 2>/dev/null | awk -F': ' '{print $2}')"
+         #
+         ports="$(ip -o link show master "${_dev}" 2>/dev/null | awk -F': ' '{print $2}')"
+
+         for _port in $ports ; do
+            $ipt -A FORWARD -i "${_port}" -j ACCEPT
+            $ipt -A FORWARD -o "${_port}" -j ACCEPT
+            _done=true
+         done
+
+      done
+
+      if ! ${_done} ; then
+         $ipt -A FORWARD -i veth+ -j ACCEPT
+         $ipt -A FORWARD -o veth+ -j ACCEPT
+      fi
+
+      echo_done
+   else
+      echo_skipped
+   fi
+else
+   echo_skipped
+fi
+
+
+echononl "\tIPv4: bypass host filtering for container ports.."
+if ${do_not_firewall_bridged_traffic} || ${do_not_firewall_lx_guest_systems} ; then
+
+   if ! is_container; then
+
+      _bridge_sysctl_ok=true
+
+      # IPv4: if you keep the sysctl bypass (recommended if it's working)
+      sysctl -w net.bridge.bridge-nf-call-iptables=0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || _bridge_sysctl_ok=false
+
+      if ${_bridge_sysctl_ok} ; then
+         echo_done
+      else
+         echo_failed
+      fi
+
+   else
+      echo_skipped
+   fi
+fi
+
+
 # ------------- Fail2ban handling (do not stop/start; keep bans stable) -------------
 echo
 echononl "\tCheck presence and configuration of Fail2ban .."
@@ -339,65 +385,6 @@ echo
 
 
 
-# -------------
-# --- Prevent bridged traffic getting pushed through the host's iptables rules
-# -------------
-
-echononl "\tDo not firewall bridged traffic"
-if $do_not_firewall_bridged_traffic ; then
-
-   # Debian 12/13 (iptables-nft): Prefer disabling bridge netfilter hooks via sysctl
-   # instead of relying on xt_physdev matches. This avoids backend/bridge quirks and
-   # keeps bridged L2 traffic out of iptables/ip6tables.
-   #
-   # Best effort: if sysctl keys are unavailable (or we're in a container), fall back
-   # to the historical physdev ACCEPT rules.
-
-   _bridge_sysctl_ok=true
-
-   if command -v systemd-detect-virt >/dev/null 2>&1 && systemd-detect-virt --container >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
-      _bridge_sysctl_ok=false
-   else
-      # ensure_mod br_netfilter is called earlier (Step 1a)
-      sysctl -w net.bridge.bridge-nf-call-iptables=0  >/dev/null 2>&1 || _bridge_sysctl_ok=false
-      sysctl -w net.bridge.bridge-nf-call-ip6tables=0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || _bridge_sysctl_ok=false
-      sysctl -w net.bridge.bridge-nf-call-arptables=0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || _bridge_sysctl_ok=false
-   fi
-
-   if ! $_bridge_sysctl_ok ; then
-      # Fallback: allow bridged traffic to pass without filtering (legacy behaviour)
-      $ipt -I FORWARD -m physdev --physdev-is-bridged -j ACCEPT
-      $ipt -I FORWARD -m physdev --physdev-is-in      -j ACCEPT
-      $ipt -I FORWARD -m physdev --physdev-is-out     -j ACCEPT
-   fi
-
-   echo_done
-else
-   echo_skipped
-fi
-echo
-
-
-# -------------
-# --- Do not firewall traffic from and to LX Gust Systems
-# -------------
-
-echononl "\tDo not firewall traffic from and to LX Gust Systems"
-if $do_not_firewall_lx_guest_systems && [[ ${#lxc_guest_ip_arr[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
-
-   for _ip in ${lxc_guest_ip_arr[@]} ; do
-
-      $ipt -I FORWARD -p all -d $_ip -j ACCEPT
-      $ipt -I FORWARD -p all -s $_ip -j ACCEPT
-
-   done
-   echo_done
-else
-   echo_skipped
-fi
-echo
-
-
 # -------------
 # ---- Log given IP Addresses
 # -------------