diff --git a/container/container.go b/container/container.go
index 4094717..35b39eb 100644
--- a/container/container.go
+++ b/container/container.go
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"git.netflux.io/rob/termstream/domain"
+	"git.netflux.io/rob/termstream/shortid"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/events"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/filters"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/image"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/network"
-	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	ocispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 )
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ type DockerClient interface {
 // Client provides a thin wrapper around the Docker API client, and provides
 // additional functionality such as exposing container stats.
 type Client struct {
-	id        uuid.UUID
+	id        shortid.ID
 	ctx       context.Context
 	cancel    context.CancelFunc
 	wg        sync.WaitGroup
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ type Client struct {
 
 // NewClient creates a new Client.
 func NewClient(ctx context.Context, apiClient DockerClient, logger *slog.Logger) (*Client, error) {
-	id := uuid.New()
+	id := shortid.New()
 	network, err := apiClient.NetworkCreate(ctx, "termstream-"+id.String(), network.CreateOptions{Driver: "bridge"})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("network create: %w", err)
diff --git a/container/integration_test.go b/container/integration_test.go
index 33bd228..6850fc1 100644
--- a/container/integration_test.go
+++ b/container/integration_test.go
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"git.netflux.io/rob/termstream/container"
+	"git.netflux.io/rob/termstream/shortid"
 	"git.netflux.io/rob/termstream/testhelpers"
 	typescontainer "github.com/docker/docker/api/types/container"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/client"
-	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func TestIntegrationClientStartStop(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := testhelpers.NewTestLogger()
 	apiClient, err := client.NewClientWithOpts(client.FromEnv)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	containerName := "termstream-test-" + uuid.NewString()
+	containerName := "termstream-test-" + shortid.New().String()
 	component := "test-start-stop"
 
 	client, err := container.NewClient(ctx, apiClient, logger)
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func TestContainerRestart(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := testhelpers.NewTestLogger()
 	apiClient, err := client.NewClientWithOpts(client.FromEnv)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	containerName := "termstream-test-" + uuid.NewString()
+	containerName := "termstream-test-" + shortid.New().String()
 	component := "test-restart"
 
 	client, err := container.NewClient(ctx, apiClient, logger)
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 4edecf9..1247d44 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/docker/docker v28.0.0+incompatible
 	github.com/docker/go-connections v0.5.0
 	github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2 v2.8.1
-	github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0
 	github.com/opencontainers/image-spec v1.1.0
 	github.com/rivo/tview v0.0.0-20241227133733-17b7edb88c57
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.10.0
diff --git a/shortid/shortid.go b/shortid/shortid.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2cdedf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shortid/shortid.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package shortid
+
+import (
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"fmt"
+)
+
+const defaultLenBytes = 6
+
+// ID is a short ID. It is not intended to guarantee uniqueness or any other
+// cryptographic property and should only be used for labelling and other
+// non-critical purposes.
+type ID []byte
+
+// New generates a new short ID, of length 6 bytes.
+func New() ID {
+	p := make([]byte, defaultLenBytes)
+	_, _ = rand.Read(p)
+	return ID(p)
+}
+
+// String implements the fmt.Stringer interface.
+func (id ID) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%x", []byte(id))
+}
diff --git a/shortid/shortid_test.go b/shortid/shortid_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c1abb67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shortid/shortid_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package shortid_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"git.netflux.io/rob/termstream/shortid"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestShortID(t *testing.T) {
+	id := shortid.New()
+	assert.Len(t, id, 6)
+	assert.Len(t, id.String(), 12)
+
+	anotherID := shortid.New()
+	assert.NotEqual(t, id, anotherID)
+}