diff --git a/pkg/systemd/quadlet/quadlet.go b/pkg/systemd/quadlet/quadlet.go
index 5fdbdda5ca..f4ad3496f7 100644
--- a/pkg/systemd/quadlet/quadlet.go
+++ b/pkg/systemd/quadlet/quadlet.go
@@ -559,15 +559,7 @@ func ConvertContainer(container *parser.UnitFile, isUser bool, unitsInfoMap map[
 		}
 	}
 
-	containerName, ok := container.Lookup(ContainerGroup, KeyContainerName)
-	if !ok || len(containerName) == 0 {
-		// By default, We want to name the container by the service name
-		if strings.Contains(container.Filename, "@") {
-			containerName = "systemd-%p_%i"
-		} else {
-			containerName = "systemd-%N"
-		}
-	}
+	containerName := getContainerName(container)
 
 	// Set PODMAN_SYSTEMD_UNIT so that podman auto-update can restart the service.
 	service.Add(ServiceGroup, "Environment", "PODMAN_SYSTEMD_UNIT=%n")
@@ -868,14 +860,46 @@ func ConvertContainer(container *parser.UnitFile, isUser bool, unitsInfoMap map[
 
 	service.AddCmdline(ServiceGroup, "ExecStart", podman.Args)
 
+	unitInfo.ResourceName = getContainerResourceName(container, unitInfo)
+
+	return service, nil
+}
+
+// Get the unresolved container name that may contain '%'.
+func getContainerName(container *parser.UnitFile) string {
+	containerName, ok := container.Lookup(ContainerGroup, KeyContainerName)
+	if !ok || len(containerName) == 0 {
+		// By default, We want to name the container by the service name.
+		if strings.Contains(container.Filename, "@") {
+			containerName = "systemd-%p_%i"
+		} else {
+			containerName = "systemd-%N"
+		}
+	}
+	return containerName
+}
+
+// Get the resolved container name that contains no '%'.
+// Returns an empty string if not resolvable.
+func getContainerResourceName(container *parser.UnitFile, unitInfo *UnitInfo) string {
+	if len(unitInfo.ResourceName) != 0 {
+		// Shortcut: already resolved before.
+		return unitInfo.ResourceName
+	}
+
+	containerName := getContainerName(container)
+
 	// XXX: only %N is handled.
 	// it is difficult to properly implement specifiers handling without consulting systemd.
 	resourceName := strings.ReplaceAll(containerName, "%N", unitInfo.ServiceName)
+
 	if !strings.Contains(resourceName, "%") {
 		unitInfo.ResourceName = resourceName
+	} else {
+		unitInfo.ResourceName = ""
 	}
 
-	return service, nil
+	return unitInfo.ResourceName
 }
 
 func defaultOneshotServiceGroup(service *parser.UnitFile, remainAfterExit bool) {
@@ -1793,8 +1817,15 @@ func addNetworks(quadletUnitFile *parser.UnitFile, groupName string, serviceUnit
 					return fmt.Errorf("requested Quadlet unit %s was not found", quadletNetworkName)
 				}
 
+				var resourceName string
+				if isContainerUnit {
+					resourceName = getContainerResourceName(quadletUnitFile, unitInfo)
+				} else {
+					resourceName = unitInfo.ResourceName
+				}
+
 				// XXX: this is usually because a '@' in service name
-				if len(unitInfo.ResourceName) == 0 {
+				if len(resourceName) == 0 {
 					return fmt.Errorf("cannot get the resource name of %s", quadletNetworkName)
 				}
 
@@ -1808,12 +1839,12 @@ func addNetworks(quadletUnitFile *parser.UnitFile, groupName string, serviceUnit
 					if isContainerUnit {
 						return fmt.Errorf("extra options are not supported when joining another container's network")
 					}
-					network = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", unitInfo.ResourceName, options)
+					network = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", resourceName, options)
 				} else {
 					if isContainerUnit {
-						network = fmt.Sprintf("container:%s", unitInfo.ResourceName)
+						network = fmt.Sprintf("container:%s", resourceName)
 					} else {
-						network = unitInfo.ResourceName
+						network = resourceName
 					}
 				}
 			}