diff --git a/nodes/fortinet_fortigate/fortigate.go b/nodes/fortinet_fortigate/fortigate.go
index 72cc1037f5..23eeb93748 100644
--- a/nodes/fortinet_fortigate/fortigate.go
+++ b/nodes/fortinet_fortigate/fortigate.go
@@ -5,10 +5,14 @@
 package fortinet_fortigate
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
+	clabconstants "github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/constants"
 	clabnodes "github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/nodes"
 	clabtypes "github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/types"
 	clabutils "github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/utils"
@@ -25,8 +29,8 @@ var (
 
 const (
 	scrapliPlatformName = "fortinet_fortios"
-	configDirName       = "config"
-	startupCfgFName     = "startup-config.cfg"
+	tftpDirName         = "tftpboot"
+	licenseFileName     = "appliance.lic"
 	generateable        = true
 	generateIfFormat    = "eth%d"
 )
@@ -76,12 +80,6 @@ func (n *fortigate) Init(cfg *clabtypes.NodeConfig, opts ...clabnodes.NodeOption
 
 	n.Cfg.Env = clabutils.MergeStringMaps(defEnv, n.Cfg.Env)
 
-	// mount config dir to support startup-config functionality
-	n.Cfg.Binds = append(
-		n.Cfg.Binds,
-		fmt.Sprint(path.Join(n.Cfg.LabDir, n.ConfigDirName), ":/config"),
-	)
-
 	if n.Cfg.Env["CONNECTION_MODE"] == "macvtap" {
 		// mount dev dir to enable macvtap
 		n.Cfg.Binds = append(n.Cfg.Binds, "/dev:/dev")
@@ -101,3 +99,38 @@ func (n *fortigate) Init(cfg *clabtypes.NodeConfig, opts ...clabnodes.NodeOption
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (n *fortigate) PreDeploy(ctx context.Context, params *clabnodes.PreDeployParams) error {
+
+	err := n.VRNode.PreDeploy(ctx, params)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// mount config dir to support startup-config functionality
+	n.Cfg.Binds = append(
+		n.Cfg.Binds,
+		fmt.Sprint(path.Join(n.Cfg.LabDir, n.ConfigDirName), ":/config"),
+	)
+
+	cfg := n.Config()
+
+	if cfg.License != "" {
+		// copy license file to node specific lab directory
+		src := cfg.License
+		dst := filepath.Join(cfg.LabDir, tftpDirName, licenseFileName)
+		if err := clabutils.CopyFile(context.Background(), src, dst,
+			clabconstants.PermissionsFileDefault); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("file copy [src %s -> dst %s] failed %v", src, dst, err)
+		}
+		log.Debugf("CopyFile src %s -> dst %s succeeded", src, dst)
+		n.Cfg.Binds = append(
+			n.Cfg.Binds,
+			fmt.Sprint(path.Join(n.Cfg.LabDir, tftpDirName), ":/"+tftpDirName),
+		)
+	} else {
+		log.Debugf("No license configured")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}