diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/models.py b/src/aleph/vm/models.py
index 27be7e43..aa933988 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/models.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/models.py
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ async def fetch_port_redirect_config_and_setup(self):
         ports_requests: dict[int, dict] = {}
         try:
             port_forwarding_settings = await get_user_settings(message.address, "port-forwarding")
-            ports_requests = port_forwarding_settings.get(self.vm_hash, {}) or {}
+            vm_port_forwarding = port_forwarding_settings.get(self.vm_hash, {}) or {}
+            if "ports" in ports_requests:
+                ports_requests = vm_port_forwarding.get("ports", {})
         except Exception:
             logger.info("Could not fetch the port redirect settings for user %s", message.address, exc_info=True)
 
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ async def update_port_redirects(self, requested_ports: dict[int, dict[str, bool]
             host_port = get_available_host_port(start_port=24000)
             for protocol in SUPPORTED_PROTOCOL_FOR_REDIRECT:
                 if target[protocol]:
-                    add_port_redirect_rule(interface, host_port, vm_port, protocol)
+                    add_port_redirect_rule(self.vm.vm_id, interface, host_port, vm_port, protocol)
             self.mapped_ports[vm_port] = {"host": host_port, **target}
 
         for vm_port in redirect_to_check:
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ async def update_port_redirects(self, requested_ports: dict[int, dict[str, bool]
             for protocol in SUPPORTED_PROTOCOL_FOR_REDIRECT:
                 if current[protocol] != target[protocol]:
                     if target[protocol]:
-                        add_port_redirect_rule(interface, host_port, vm_port, protocol)
+                        add_port_redirect_rule(self.vm.vm_id, interface, host_port, vm_port, protocol)
                     else:
                         remove_port_redirect_rule(interface, host_port, vm_port, protocol)
             self.mapped_ports[vm_port] = {"host": host_port, **target}
diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/network/firewall.py b/src/aleph/vm/network/firewall.py
index 140e4548..c5dfed2c 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/network/firewall.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/network/firewall.py
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ def add_or_get_prerouting_chain() -> dict:
     # Check if prerouting chain exists by looking for chains with prerouting hook
     existing_chains = get_base_chains_for_hook("prerouting", "ip")
     if existing_chains:
-        return existing_chains[0]  # Chain already exists, nothing to do
+        return existing_chains[0]["chain"]  # Chain already exists, nothing to do
 
     commands = [
         {
@@ -410,12 +410,13 @@ def add_or_get_prerouting_chain() -> dict:
             }
         }
     ]
+    execute_json_nft_commands(commands)
     chain = commands[0]["add"]["chain"]
-    return execute_json_nft_commands(commands)
+    return chain
 
 
 def add_port_redirect_rule(
-    interface: TapInterface, host_port: int, vm_port: int, protocol: Literal["tcp"] | Literal["udp"] = "tcp"
+    vm_id, interface: TapInterface, host_port: int, vm_port: int, protocol: Literal["tcp"] | Literal["udp"] = "tcp"
 ) -> dict:
     """Creates a rule to redirect traffic from a host port to a VM port.
 
@@ -460,6 +461,36 @@ def add_port_redirect_rule(
             }
         },
     ]
+    # Add rule to accept that trafic on the host interface to that destination port
+    table = get_table_for_hook("forward")
+    commands += [
+        {
+            "add": {
+                "rule": {
+                    "family": "ip",
+                    "table": table,
+                    "chain": f"{settings.NFTABLES_CHAIN_PREFIX}-vm-filter-{vm_id}",
+                    "expr": [
+                        {
+                            "match": {
+                                "op": "==",
+                                "left": {"meta": {"key": "iifname"}},
+                                "right": interface.device_name,
+                            }
+                        },
+                        {
+                            "match": {
+                                "op": "==",
+                                "left": {"payload": {"protocol": "tcp", "field": "dport"}},
+                                "right": vm_port,
+                            }
+                        },
+                        {"accept": None},
+                    ],
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    ]
 
     return execute_json_nft_commands(commands)
 
@@ -477,6 +508,9 @@ def remove_port_redirect_rule(interface: TapInterface, host_port: int, vm_port:
         The exit code from executing the nftables commands
     """
     nft_ruleset = get_existing_nftables_ruleset()
+    chain = add_or_get_prerouting_chain()
+    table = chain["table"]
+
     commands = []
 
     for entry in nft_ruleset:
@@ -484,8 +518,8 @@ def remove_port_redirect_rule(interface: TapInterface, host_port: int, vm_port:
             isinstance(entry, dict)
             and "rule" in entry
             and entry["rule"].get("family") == "ip"
-            and entry["rule"].get("table") == "nat"
-            and entry["rule"].get("chain") == "prerouting"
+            and entry["rule"].get("table") == table
+            and entry["rule"].get("chain") == chain["name"]
             and "expr" in entry["rule"]
         ):
             expr = entry["rule"]["expr"]
@@ -508,8 +542,8 @@ def remove_port_redirect_rule(interface: TapInterface, host_port: int, vm_port:
                         "delete": {
                             "rule": {
                                 "family": "ip",
-                                "table": "nat",
-                                "chain": "prerouting",
+                                "table": table,
+                                "chain": chain["name"],
                                 "handle": entry["rule"]["handle"],
                             }
                         }