diff --git a/lib/portlayer/network/context.go b/lib/portlayer/network/context.go
index 6bc410ee00..d544e8d2e1 100644
--- a/lib/portlayer/network/context.go
+++ b/lib/portlayer/network/context.go
@@ -1269,6 +1269,18 @@ func (c *Context) DeleteScope(ctx context.Context, name string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot remove builtin scope")
 	}
 
+	// remove dangling endpoints
+	if exec.Containers != nil {
+		for _, eps := range s.Endpoints() {
+			if exec.Containers.Container(eps.ID().String()) == nil {
+				log.Debugf("Remove dangling endpoint (%s)", eps.ID().String())
+				if err = s.RemoveContainer(eps.Container()); err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("failed to remove dangling endpoint (%s): %s", eps.ID().String(), err.Error())
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if len(s.Endpoints()) != 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%s has active endpoints", s.Name())
 	}