diff --git a/network.go b/network.go
index 972212918e..9f99064e11 100644
--- a/network.go
+++ b/network.go
@@ -1237,12 +1237,14 @@ func (n *network) updateSvcRecord(ep *endpoint, localEps []*endpoint, isAdd bool
 		}
 
 		serviceID := ep.svcID
+		if serviceID == "" {
+			serviceID = ep.ID()
+		}
 		if isAdd {
 			// If anonymous endpoint has an alias use the first alias
 			// for ip->name mapping. Not having the reverse mapping
 			// breaks some apps
 			if ep.isAnonymous() {
-				serviceID = ep.ID()
 				if len(myAliases) > 0 {
 					n.addSvcRecords(ep.ID(), myAliases[0], serviceID, iface.Address().IP, ipv6, true, "updateSvcRecord")
 				}
@@ -1254,7 +1256,6 @@ func (n *network) updateSvcRecord(ep *endpoint, localEps []*endpoint, isAdd bool
 			}
 		} else {
 			if ep.isAnonymous() {
-				serviceID = ep.ID()
 				if len(myAliases) > 0 {
 					n.deleteSvcRecords(ep.ID(), myAliases[0], serviceID, iface.Address().IP, ipv6, true, "updateSvcRecord")
 				}
diff --git a/service_common.go b/service_common.go
index dd42743603..7e3367c71c 100644
--- a/service_common.go
+++ b/service_common.go
@@ -20,24 +20,30 @@ func (c *controller) addEndpointNameResolution(svcName, svcID, nID, eID, contain
 	// Add container resolution mappings
 	c.addContainerNameResolution(nID, eID, containerName, taskAliases, ip, method)
 
+	serviceID := svcID
+	if serviceID == "" {
+		// This is the case of a normal container not part of a service
+		serviceID = eID
+	}
+
 	// Add endpoint IP to special "tasks.svc_name" so that the applications have access to DNS RR.
-	n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+svcName, svcID, ip, nil, false, method)
+	n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+svcName, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 	for _, alias := range serviceAliases {
-		n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+alias, svcID, ip, nil, false, method)
+		n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+alias, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 	}
 
 	// Add service name to vip in DNS, if vip is valid. Otherwise resort to DNS RR
 	if len(vip) == 0 {
-		n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, svcName, eID, ip, nil, false, method)
+		n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, svcName, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 		for _, alias := range serviceAliases {
-			n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, alias, eID, ip, nil, false, method)
+			n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, alias, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 		}
 	}
 
 	if addService && len(vip) != 0 {
-		n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, svcName, svcID, vip, nil, false, method)
+		n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, svcName, serviceID, vip, nil, false, method)
 		for _, alias := range serviceAliases {
-			n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, alias, svcID, vip, nil, false, method)
+			n.(*network).addSvcRecords(eID, alias, serviceID, vip, nil, false, method)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -73,27 +79,33 @@ func (c *controller) deleteEndpointNameResolution(svcName, svcID, nID, eID, cont
 	// Delete container resolution mappings
 	c.delContainerNameResolution(nID, eID, containerName, taskAliases, ip, method)
 
+	serviceID := svcID
+	if serviceID == "" {
+		// This is the case of a normal container not part of a service
+		serviceID = eID
+	}
+
 	// Delete the special "tasks.svc_name" backend record.
 	if !multipleEntries {
-		n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+svcName, svcID, ip, nil, false, method)
+		n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+svcName, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 		for _, alias := range serviceAliases {
-			n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+alias, svcID, ip, nil, false, method)
+			n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, "tasks."+alias, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 		}
 	}
 
 	// If we are doing DNS RR delete the endpoint IP from DNS record right away.
 	if !multipleEntries && len(vip) == 0 {
-		n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, svcName, eID, ip, nil, false, method)
+		n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, svcName, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 		for _, alias := range serviceAliases {
-			n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, alias, eID, ip, nil, false, method)
+			n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, alias, serviceID, ip, nil, false, method)
 		}
 	}
 
 	// Remove the DNS record for VIP only if we are removing the service
 	if rmService && len(vip) != 0 && !multipleEntries {
-		n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, svcName, svcID, vip, nil, false, method)
+		n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, svcName, serviceID, vip, nil, false, method)
 		for _, alias := range serviceAliases {
-			n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, alias, svcID, vip, nil, false, method)
+			n.(*network).deleteSvcRecords(eID, alias, serviceID, vip, nil, false, method)
 		}
 	}