diff --git a/bridgehead b/bridgehead
index 227a0d7..f2eaa6b 100755
--- a/bridgehead
+++ b/bridgehead
@@ -66,11 +66,15 @@ case "$ACTION" in
 		checkRequirements
 		hc_send log "Bridgehead $PROJECT startup: Requirements checked out. Now starting bridgehead ..."
 		export LDM_LOGIN=$(getLdmPassword)
-		exec $COMPOSE -f ./$PROJECT/docker-compose.yml $OVERRIDE up --abort-on-container-exit
+		exec $COMPOSE -p bridgehead-$PROJECT -f ./$PROJECT/docker-compose.yml $OVERRIDE up --abort-on-container-exit
 		;;
 	stop)
 		loadVars
-		exec $COMPOSE -f ./$PROJECT/docker-compose.yml $OVERRIDE down
+		exec $COMPOSE -p bridgehead-$PROJECT -f ./$PROJECT/docker-compose.yml $OVERRIDE down
+		;;
+	is-running)
+		bk_is_running
+		exit $?
 		;;
 	update)
 		loadVars
diff --git a/lib/functions.sh b/lib/functions.sh
index 23fb939..836ffcc 100644
--- a/lib/functions.sh
+++ b/lib/functions.sh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ checkOwner(){
 }
 
 printUsage() {
-	echo "Usage: bridgehead start|stop|update|install|uninstall|enroll PROJECTNAME"
+	echo "Usage: bridgehead start|stop|is-running|update|install|uninstall|enroll PROJECTNAME"
 	echo "PROJECTNAME should be one of ccp|bbmri"
 }
 
@@ -169,6 +169,17 @@ function retry {
   return 0
 }
 
+function bk_is_running {
+	detectCompose
+	RUNNING="$($COMPOSE -p bridgehead-$PROJECT -f ./$PROJECT/docker-compose.yml $OVERRIDE ps -q)"
+	NUMBEROFRUNNING=$(echo "$RUNNING" | wc -l)
+	if [ $NUMBEROFRUNNING -ge 2 ]; then
+		return 0
+	else
+		return 1
+	fi
+}
+
 ##Setting Network properties
 # currently not needed
 #export HOSTIP=$(MSYS_NO_PATHCONV=1 docker run --rm --add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway ubuntu cat /etc/hosts | grep 'host.docker.internal' | awk '{print $1}');
diff --git a/lib/update-bridgehead.sh b/lib/update-bridgehead.sh
index c53b731..bce720d 100755
--- a/lib/update-bridgehead.sh
+++ b/lib/update-bridgehead.sh
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@ source lib/functions.sh
 AUTO_HOUSEKEEPING=${AUTO_HOUSEKEEPING:-true}
 
 if [ "$AUTO_HOUSEKEEPING" == "true" ]; then
-	A="Performing automatic maintenance: Cleaning docker images."
+	A="Performing automatic maintenance: "
+	if bk_is_running; then
+		A="$A Cleaning docker images."
+		docker system prune -a -f
+	else
+		A="$A Not cleaning docker images since BK is not running."
+	fi
 	hc_send log "$A"
 	log INFO "$A"
-	docker system prune -a -f
 else
 	log WARN "Automatic housekeeping disabled (variable AUTO_HOUSEKEEPING != \"true\")"
 fi