diff --git a/controllers/ext_client.go b/controllers/ext_client.go
index 86e55c3c..681b9220 100644
--- a/controllers/ext_client.go
+++ b/controllers/ext_client.go
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ func createExtClient(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	var params = mux.Vars(r)
 	networkName := params["network"]
 	nodeid := params["nodeid"]
-	clientid := params["clientid"]
+	
 	ingressExists := checkIngressExists(nodeid)
 	if !ingressExists {
 		err := errors.New("ingress does not exist")
@@ -262,9 +262,16 @@ func createExtClient(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	var extclient models.ExtClient
-	if clientid != "" {// if clientid is passed from api call, create new extclient with custom clientid instead to generate a random one
-		extclient.ClientID = clientid
+	var CustomExtClient models.CustomExtClient
+	
+	err := json.NewDecoder(r.body).Decode(&CustomExtClient);
+
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Log(1, "error creating CustomExtClient"+err.Error())
+	} else {
+		extclient.ClientID = CustomExtClient.ClientID
 	}
+	
 	extclient.Network = networkName
 	extclient.IngressGatewayID = nodeid
 	node, err := logic.GetNodeByID(nodeid)
diff --git a/models/structs.go b/models/structs.go
index d0ce6bb7..b907f3e1 100644
--- a/models/structs.go
+++ b/models/structs.go
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ import (
 const PLACEHOLDER_KEY_TEXT = "ACCESS_KEY"
 const PLACEHOLDER_TOKEN_TEXT = "ACCESS_TOKEN"
 
+// CustomExtClient - struct for CustomExtClient params
+type CustomExtClient struct {
+	ClientID string `json:"clientid"`
+}
+
 // AuthParams - struct for auth params
 type AuthParams struct {
 	MacAddress string `json:"macaddress"`