diff --git a/include/fluent-bit/flb_custom.h b/include/fluent-bit/flb_custom.h
index 4d63d3059c5..6c5f10726a2 100644
--- a/include/fluent-bit/flb_custom.h
+++ b/include/fluent-bit/flb_custom.h
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
 #include <fluent-bit/flb_metrics.h>
 #endif
 
+/* Custom plugin flag masks */
+#define FLB_CUSTOM_NET_UPSTREAM   1   /* custom may use upstream net.* properties  */
+#define FLB_CUSTOM_NET_DOWNSTREAM 2   /* custom may use downstream net.* properties  */
+
 struct flb_custom_instance;
 
 struct flb_custom_plugin {
@@ -57,7 +61,9 @@ struct flb_custom_instance {
     void *data;
     struct flb_custom_plugin *p;   /* original plugin          */
     struct mk_list properties;     /* config properties        */
+    struct mk_list net_properties; /* net properties           */
     struct mk_list *config_map;    /* configuration map        */
+    struct mk_list *net_config_map;/* net configuration map    */
     struct mk_list _head;          /* link to config->customs  */
 
     /*
diff --git a/src/flb_custom.c b/src/flb_custom.c
index 33f42c28e0d..ab606f667d3 100644
--- a/src/flb_custom.c
+++ b/src/flb_custom.c
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 #include <fluent-bit/flb_pack.h>
 #include <fluent-bit/flb_metrics.h>
 #include <fluent-bit/flb_utils.h>
+#include <fluent-bit/flb_upstream.h>
+#include <fluent-bit/flb_downstream.h>
 #include <chunkio/chunkio.h>
 
 static inline int instance_id(struct flb_config *config)
@@ -79,6 +81,16 @@ int flb_custom_set_property(struct flb_custom_instance *ins,
         }
         ins->log_level = ret;
     }
+    else if (strncasecmp("net.", k, 4) == 0 && tmp) {
+        kv = flb_kv_item_create(&ins->net_properties, (char *) k, NULL);
+        if (!kv) {
+            if (tmp) {
+                flb_sds_destroy(tmp);
+            }
+            return -1;
+        }
+        kv->val = tmp;
+    }
     else {
         /*
          * Create the property, we don't pass the value since we will
@@ -178,6 +190,7 @@ struct flb_custom_instance *flb_custom_new(struct flb_config *config,
     instance->log_level = -1;
 
     mk_list_init(&instance->properties);
+    mk_list_init(&instance->net_properties);
     mk_list_add(&instance->_head, &config->customs);
 
     return instance;
@@ -213,6 +226,28 @@ int flb_custom_plugin_property_check(struct flb_custom_instance *ins,
         }
         ins->config_map = config_map;
 
+        if ((p->flags & FLB_CUSTOM_NET_UPSTREAM) && (p->flags & FLB_CUSTOM_NET_UPSTREAM)) {
+                flb_error("[custom] cannot configure upstream and downstream "
+                          "in the same custom plugin: '%s'",
+                          p->name);
+        }
+        if (p->flags & FLB_CUSTOM_NET_UPSTREAM) {
+                ins->net_config_map = flb_upstream_get_config_map(config);
+                if (ins->net_config_map == NULL) {
+                        flb_error("[custom] unable to load upstream properties: '%s'",
+                                  p->name);
+                        return -1;
+                }
+        }
+        else if (p->flags & FLB_CUSTOM_NET_UPSTREAM) {
+                ins->net_config_map = flb_downstream_get_config_map(config);
+                if (ins->net_config_map == NULL) {
+                        flb_error("[custom] unable to load downstream properties: '%s'",
+                                  p->name);
+                        return -1;
+                }
+        }
+
         /* Validate incoming properties against config map */
         ret = flb_config_map_properties_check(ins->p->name,
                                               &ins->properties, ins->config_map);
@@ -293,6 +328,7 @@ void flb_custom_instance_destroy(struct flb_custom_instance *ins)
 
     /* release properties */
     flb_kv_release(&ins->properties);
+    flb_kv_release(&ins->net_properties);
 
     if (ins->alias) {
         flb_sds_destroy(ins->alias);