How to set custom systemd network configuration files search path in yocto based linux image with meta-mender

I’ve a custom yocto based linux image with meta-mender. I have a use case where I want to set a systemd-network configuration files in a user defined path. So that I can avoid losing the custom .network file in default path /etc/systemd/network during every update with mender.

By default the path is /etc/systemd/network/example.network. Is there any possibility to keep my example.network config file in a persistant folder /data/systemd/network/example.network and to make the systemd to look for .network files in this custom path.

One option could be to add you own systemd service file to copy/symlink the .network file from your persistent directory to the volatile networkd /run/systemd/network directory on boot