diff --git a/rally-jobs/rally-neutron.yaml b/rally-jobs/rally-neutron.yaml
index 73d8b4c2..63185702 100644
--- a/rally-jobs/rally-neutron.yaml
+++ b/rally-jobs/rally-neutron.yaml
@@ -657,6 +657,8 @@
           dns_nameservers:
             - "8.8.8.8"
             - "8.8.4.4"
+          router:
+            external: false
       sla:
         failure_rate:
           max: 0
diff --git a/rally/plugins/openstack/context/network/networks.py b/rally/plugins/openstack/context/network/networks.py
index 26b572cc..33d81c44 100644
--- a/rally/plugins/openstack/context/network/networks.py
+++ b/rally/plugins/openstack/context/network/networks.py
@@ -59,6 +59,24 @@ class Network(context.Context):
                 "type": "array",
                 "items": {"type": "string"},
                 "uniqueItems": True
+            },
+            "router": {
+                "type": "object",
+                "properties": {
+                    "external": {
+                        "type": "boolean"
+                    },
+                    "external_gateway_info": {
+                        "description": "The external gateway information .",
+                        "type": "object",
+                        "properties": {
+                            "network_id": {"type": "string"},
+                            "enable_snat": {"type": "boolean"}
+                        },
+                        "additionalProperties": False
+                    }
+                },
+                "additionalProperties": False
             }
         },
         "additionalProperties": False
@@ -69,7 +87,8 @@ class Network(context.Context):
         "networks_per_tenant": 1,
         "subnets_per_network": 1,
         "network_create_args": {},
-        "dns_nameservers": None
+        "dns_nameservers": None,
+        "router": {"external": True}
     }
 
     def setup(self):
@@ -92,9 +111,9 @@ class Network(context.Context):
                 network_create_args = self.config["network_create_args"].copy()
                 network = net_wrapper.create_network(
                     tenant_id,
-                    add_router=True,
                     subnets_num=self.config["subnets_per_network"],
                     network_create_args=network_create_args,
+                    router_create_args=self.config["router"],
                     **kwargs)
                 self.context["tenants"][tenant_id]["networks"].append(network)
 
diff --git a/rally/plugins/openstack/wrappers/network.py b/rally/plugins/openstack/wrappers/network.py
index 6301bc28..aa11c2c5 100644
--- a/rally/plugins/openstack/wrappers/network.py
+++ b/rally/plugins/openstack/wrappers/network.py
@@ -194,12 +194,14 @@ class NeutronWrapper(NetworkWrapper):
 
         The following keyword arguments are accepted:
 
-        * add_router: Create an external router and add an interface to each
+        * add_router: Deprecated, please use router_create_args instead.
+                      Create an external router and add an interface to each
                       subnet created. Default: False
         * subnets_num: Number of subnets to create per network. Default: 0
         * dns_nameservers: Nameservers for each subnet. Default:
                            8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
         * network_create_args: Additional network creation arguments.
+        * router_create_args: Additional router creation arguments.
 
         :param tenant_id: str, tenant ID
         :param kwargs: Additional options, left open-ended for compatbilitiy.
@@ -213,8 +215,13 @@ class NeutronWrapper(NetworkWrapper):
         network = self.client.create_network(network_args)["network"]
 
         router = None
-        if kwargs.get("add_router", False):
-            router = self.create_router(external=True, tenant_id=tenant_id)
+        router_args = dict(kwargs.get("router_create_args", {}))
+        add_router = kwargs.get("add_router", False)
+        if router_args or add_router:
+            router_args["external"] = (
+                router_args.get("external", False) or add_router)
+            router_args["tenant_id"] = tenant_id
+            router = self.create_router(**router_args)
 
         subnets = []
         subnets_num = kwargs.get("subnets_num", 0)
diff --git a/samples/tasks/contexts/network.json b/samples/tasks/contexts/network.json
index a28e719a..5958b59f 100644
--- a/samples/tasks/contexts/network.json
+++ b/samples/tasks/contexts/network.json
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@
                     "networks_per_tenant": 1,
                     "subnets_per_network": 1,
                     "network_create_args": {},
-                    "dns_nameservers": ["10.2.0.1"]
+                    "dns_nameservers": ["10.2.0.1"],
+                    "router": {
+                        "external": false
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/samples/tasks/contexts/network.yaml b/samples/tasks/contexts/network.yaml
index 60c8f67e..53c9de6b 100644
--- a/samples/tasks/contexts/network.yaml
+++ b/samples/tasks/contexts/network.yaml
@@ -29,4 +29,6 @@
           subnets_per_network: 1
           network_create_args: {}
           dns_nameservers:
-            - "10.2.0.1"
\ No newline at end of file
+            - "10.2.0.1"
+          router:
+            external: false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/context/network/test_network.py b/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/context/network/test_network.py
index b87fab66..93020939 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/context/network/test_network.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/context/network/test_network.py
@@ -86,8 +86,9 @@ class NetworkTestCase(test.TestCase):
             dns_kwargs["dns_nameservers"] = tuple(
                 dns_kwargs["dns_nameservers"])
         create_calls = [
-            mock.call(tenant, add_router=True,
+            mock.call(tenant,
                       subnets_num=1, network_create_args={"fakearg": "fake"},
+                      router_create_args={"external": True},
                       **dns_kwargs)
             for user, tenant in mock_utils.iterate_per_tenants.return_value]
         mock_create.assert_has_calls(create_calls)