diff --git a/compose/config/types.py b/compose/config/types.py
index 548f2c1cd..d3b3cfc53 100644
--- a/compose/config/types.py
+++ b/compose/config/types.py
@@ -319,11 +319,19 @@ class ServicePort(namedtuple('_ServicePort', 'target published protocol mode ext
         except ValueError:
             raise ConfigurationError('Invalid target port: {}'.format(target))
 
-        try:
-            if published:
-                published = int(published)
-        except ValueError:
-            raise ConfigurationError('Invalid published port: {}'.format(published))
+        if published:
+            if isinstance(published, six.string_types) and '-' in published:  # "x-y:z" format
+                a, b = published.split('-', 1)
+                try:
+                    int(a)
+                    int(b)
+                except ValueError:
+                    raise ConfigurationError('Invalid published port: {}'.format(published))
+            else:
+                try:
+                    published = int(published)
+                except ValueError:
+                    raise ConfigurationError('Invalid published port: {}'.format(published))
 
         return super(ServicePort, cls).__new__(
             cls, target, published, *args, **kwargs
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/types_test.py b/tests/unit/config/types_test.py
index 3a43f727b..e7cc67b04 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/types_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/types_test.py
@@ -100,11 +100,37 @@ class TestServicePort(object):
             'published': 25001
         } in reprs
 
+    def test_parse_port_publish_range(self):
+        ports = ServicePort.parse('4440-4450:4000')
+        assert len(ports) == 1
+        reprs = [p.repr() for p in ports]
+        assert {
+            'target': 4000,
+            'published': '4440-4450'
+        } in reprs
+
     def test_parse_invalid_port(self):
         port_def = '4000p'
         with pytest.raises(ConfigurationError):
             ServicePort.parse(port_def)
 
+    def test_parse_invalid_publish_range(self):
+        port_def = '-4000:4000'
+        with pytest.raises(ConfigurationError):
+            ServicePort.parse(port_def)
+
+        port_def = 'asdf:4000'
+        with pytest.raises(ConfigurationError):
+            ServicePort.parse(port_def)
+
+        port_def = '1234-12f:4000'
+        with pytest.raises(ConfigurationError):
+            ServicePort.parse(port_def)
+
+        port_def = '1234-1235-1239:4000'
+        with pytest.raises(ConfigurationError):
+            ServicePort.parse(port_def)
+
 
 class TestVolumeSpec(object):