diff --git a/copy/single.go b/copy/single.go
index e008c7e86f..7bc44d1f83 100644
--- a/copy/single.go
+++ b/copy/single.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func (c *copier) copySingleImage(ctx context.Context, unparsedImage *image.Unpar
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := checkImageDestinationForCurrentRuntime(ctx, c.options.DestinationCtx, src, c.dest); err != nil {
+	if err := prepareImageConfigForDest(ctx, c.options.DestinationCtx, src, c.dest); err != nil {
 		return copySingleImageResult{}, err
 	}
 
@@ -316,12 +316,15 @@ func (c *copier) copySingleImage(ctx context.Context, unparsedImage *image.Unpar
 	return res, nil
 }
 
-// checkImageDestinationForCurrentRuntime enforces dest.MustMatchRuntimeOS, if necessary.
-func checkImageDestinationForCurrentRuntime(ctx context.Context, sys *types.SystemContext, src types.Image, dest types.ImageDestination) error {
+// prepareImageConfigForDest enforces dest.MustMatchRuntimeOS and handles dest.NoteOriginalOCIConfig, if necessary.
+func prepareImageConfigForDest(ctx context.Context, sys *types.SystemContext, src types.Image, dest private.ImageDestination) error {
+	ociConfig, configErr := src.OCIConfig(ctx)
+	// Do not fail on configErr here, this might be an artifact
+	// and maybe nothing needs this to be a container image and to process the config.
+
 	if dest.MustMatchRuntimeOS() {
-		c, err := src.OCIConfig(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("parsing image configuration: %w", err)
+		if configErr != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("parsing image configuration: %w", configErr)
 		}
 		wantedPlatforms := platform.WantedPlatforms(sys)
 
@@ -331,7 +334,7 @@ func checkImageDestinationForCurrentRuntime(ctx context.Context, sys *types.Syst
 			// For a transitional period, this might trigger warnings because the Variant
 			// field was added to OCI config only recently. If this turns out to be too noisy,
 			// revert this check to only look for (OS, Architecture).
-			if platform.MatchesPlatform(c.Platform, wantedPlatform) {
+			if platform.MatchesPlatform(ociConfig.Platform, wantedPlatform) {
 				match = true
 				break
 			}
@@ -339,9 +342,14 @@ func checkImageDestinationForCurrentRuntime(ctx context.Context, sys *types.Syst
 		}
 		if !match {
 			logrus.Infof("Image operating system mismatch: image uses OS %q+architecture %q+%q, expecting one of %q",
-				c.OS, c.Architecture, c.Variant, strings.Join(options.list, ", "))
+				ociConfig.OS, ociConfig.Architecture, ociConfig.Variant, strings.Join(options.list, ", "))
 		}
 	}
+
+	if err := dest.NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig, configErr); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/directory/directory_dest.go b/directory/directory_dest.go
index 000c8987d9..6e88aa01d1 100644
--- a/directory/directory_dest.go
+++ b/directory/directory_dest.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ var ErrNotContainerImageDir = errors.New("not a containers image directory, don'
 type dirImageDestination struct {
 	impl.Compat
 	impl.PropertyMethodsInitialize
+	stubs.IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig
 	stubs.NoPutBlobPartialInitialize
 	stubs.AlwaysSupportsSignatures
 
diff --git a/docker/docker_image_dest.go b/docker/docker_image_dest.go
index f5e2bb61e8..3ac43cf9fc 100644
--- a/docker/docker_image_dest.go
+++ b/docker/docker_image_dest.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import (
 type dockerImageDestination struct {
 	impl.Compat
 	impl.PropertyMethodsInitialize
+	stubs.IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig
 	stubs.NoPutBlobPartialInitialize
 
 	ref dockerReference
diff --git a/docker/internal/tarfile/dest.go b/docker/internal/tarfile/dest.go
index f142346807..8f5ba7e36e 100644
--- a/docker/internal/tarfile/dest.go
+++ b/docker/internal/tarfile/dest.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 type Destination struct {
 	impl.Compat
 	impl.PropertyMethodsInitialize
+	stubs.IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig
 	stubs.NoPutBlobPartialInitialize
 	stubs.NoSignaturesInitialize
 
diff --git a/internal/imagedestination/stubs/original_oci_config.go b/internal/imagedestination/stubs/original_oci_config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c4536e933b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/imagedestination/stubs/original_oci_config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package stubs
+
+import (
+	imgspecv1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
+)
+
+// IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig implements NoteOriginalOCIConfig() that does nothing.
+type IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig struct{}
+
+// NoteOriginalOCIConfig provides the config of the image, as it exists on the source, BUT converted to OCI format,
+// or an error obtaining that value (e.g. if the image is an artifact and not a container image).
+// The destination can use it in its TryReusingBlob/PutBlob implementations
+// (otherwise it only obtains the final config after all layers are written).
+func (stub IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig) NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig *imgspecv1.Image, configErr error) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/imagedestination/wrapper.go b/internal/imagedestination/wrapper.go
index 0fe902e31f..b2462a3bc1 100644
--- a/internal/imagedestination/wrapper.go
+++ b/internal/imagedestination/wrapper.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 // wrapped provides the private.ImageDestination operations
 // for a destination that only implements types.ImageDestination
 type wrapped struct {
+	stubs.IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig
 	stubs.NoPutBlobPartialInitialize
 
 	types.ImageDestination
diff --git a/internal/private/private.go b/internal/private/private.go
index 4247a8db77..afd425483d 100644
--- a/internal/private/private.go
+++ b/internal/private/private.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	compression "github.com/containers/image/v5/pkg/compression/types"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/types"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
+	imgspecv1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 )
 
 // ImageSourceInternalOnly is the part of private.ImageSource that is not
@@ -41,6 +42,12 @@ type ImageDestinationInternalOnly interface {
 	// FIXME: Add SupportsSignaturesWithFormat or something like that, to allow early failures
 	// on unsupported formats.
 
+	// NoteOriginalOCIConfig provides the config of the image, as it exists on the source, BUT converted to OCI format,
+	// or an error obtaining that value (e.g. if the image is an artifact and not a container image).
+	// The destination can use it in its TryReusingBlob/PutBlob implementations
+	// (otherwise it only obtains the final config after all layers are written).
+	NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig *imgspecv1.Image, configErr error) error
+
 	// PutBlobWithOptions writes contents of stream and returns data representing the result.
 	// inputInfo.Digest can be optionally provided if known; if provided, and stream is read to the end without error, the digest MUST match the stream contents.
 	// inputInfo.Size is the expected length of stream, if known.
diff --git a/oci/archive/oci_dest.go b/oci/archive/oci_dest.go
index 1d1e26c84f..54b2e50566 100644
--- a/oci/archive/oci_dest.go
+++ b/oci/archive/oci_dest.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/archive"
 	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/idtools"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
+	imgspecv1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
@@ -103,6 +104,14 @@ func (d *ociArchiveImageDestination) SupportsPutBlobPartial() bool {
 	return d.unpackedDest.SupportsPutBlobPartial()
 }
 
+// NoteOriginalOCIConfig provides the config of the image, as it exists on the source, BUT converted to OCI format,
+// or an error obtaining that value (e.g. if the image is an artifact and not a container image).
+// The destination can use it in its TryReusingBlob/PutBlob implementations
+// (otherwise it only obtains the final config after all layers are written).
+func (d *ociArchiveImageDestination) NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig *imgspecv1.Image, configErr error) error {
+	return d.unpackedDest.NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig, configErr)
+}
+
 // PutBlobWithOptions writes contents of stream and returns data representing the result.
 // inputInfo.Digest can be optionally provided if known; if provided, and stream is read to the end without error, the digest MUST match the stream contents.
 // inputInfo.Size is the expected length of stream, if known.
diff --git a/oci/layout/oci_dest.go b/oci/layout/oci_dest.go
index 85374cecf0..cb2768d745 100644
--- a/oci/layout/oci_dest.go
+++ b/oci/layout/oci_dest.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 type ociImageDestination struct {
 	impl.Compat
 	impl.PropertyMethodsInitialize
+	stubs.IgnoresOriginalOCIConfig
 	stubs.NoPutBlobPartialInitialize
 	stubs.NoSignaturesInitialize
 
diff --git a/openshift/openshift_dest.go b/openshift/openshift_dest.go
index 61f69e93fd..bd5e77aa8f 100644
--- a/openshift/openshift_dest.go
+++ b/openshift/openshift_dest.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/manifest"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/types"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
+	imgspecv1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 )
 
 type openshiftImageDestination struct {
@@ -111,6 +112,14 @@ func (d *openshiftImageDestination) SupportsPutBlobPartial() bool {
 	return d.docker.SupportsPutBlobPartial()
 }
 
+// NoteOriginalOCIConfig provides the config of the image, as it exists on the source, BUT converted to OCI format,
+// or an error obtaining that value (e.g. if the image is an artifact and not a container image).
+// The destination can use it in its TryReusingBlob/PutBlob implementations
+// (otherwise it only obtains the final config after all layers are written).
+func (d *openshiftImageDestination) NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig *imgspecv1.Image, configErr error) error {
+	return d.docker.NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig, configErr)
+}
+
 // PutBlobWithOptions writes contents of stream and returns data representing the result.
 // inputInfo.Digest can be optionally provided if known; if provided, and stream is read to the end without error, the digest MUST match the stream contents.
 // inputInfo.Size is the expected length of stream, if known.
diff --git a/pkg/blobcache/dest.go b/pkg/blobcache/dest.go
index f7103d13eb..54e3d294b9 100644
--- a/pkg/blobcache/dest.go
+++ b/pkg/blobcache/dest.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/archive"
 	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/ioutils"
 	digest "github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
+	imgspecv1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
@@ -138,6 +139,14 @@ func (d *blobCacheDestination) HasThreadSafePutBlob() bool {
 	return d.destination.HasThreadSafePutBlob()
 }
 
+// NoteOriginalOCIConfig provides the config of the image, as it exists on the source, BUT converted to OCI format,
+// or an error obtaining that value (e.g. if the image is an artifact and not a container image).
+// The destination can use it in its TryReusingBlob/PutBlob implementations
+// (otherwise it only obtains the final config after all layers are written).
+func (d *blobCacheDestination) NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig *imgspecv1.Image, configErr error) error {
+	return d.destination.NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig, configErr)
+}
+
 // PutBlobWithOptions writes contents of stream and returns data representing the result.
 // inputInfo.Digest can be optionally provided if known; if provided, and stream is read to the end without error, the digest MUST match the stream contents.
 // inputInfo.Size is the expected length of stream, if known.
diff --git a/storage/storage_dest.go b/storage/storage_dest.go
index 0b8cdc69c8..bad11706b6 100644
--- a/storage/storage_dest.go
+++ b/storage/storage_dest.go
@@ -17,8 +17,11 @@ import (
 	"sync/atomic"
 
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/docker/reference"
+	"github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/image"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/imagedestination/impl"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/imagedestination/stubs"
+	srcImpl "github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/imagesource/impl"
+	srcStubs "github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/imagesource/stubs"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/private"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/putblobdigest"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/internal/signature"
@@ -56,8 +59,9 @@ type storageImageDestination struct {
 	imageRef              storageReference
 	directory             string                   // Temporary directory where we store blobs until Commit() time
 	nextTempFileID        atomic.Int32             // A counter that we use for computing filenames to assign to blobs
-	manifest              []byte                   // Manifest contents, temporary
-	manifestDigest        digest.Digest            // Valid if len(manifest) != 0
+	manifest              []byte                   // (Per-instance) manifest contents, or nil if not yet known.
+	manifestMIMEType      string                   // Valid if manifest != nil
+	manifestDigest        digest.Digest            // Valid if manifest != nil
 	untrustedDiffIDValues []digest.Digest          // From config’s RootFS.DiffIDs (not even validated to be valid digest.Digest!); or nil if not read yet
 	signatures            []byte                   // Signature contents, temporary
 	signatureses          map[digest.Digest][]byte // Instance signature contents, temporary
@@ -203,6 +207,18 @@ func (s *storageImageDestination) computeNextBlobCacheFile() string {
 	return filepath.Join(s.directory, fmt.Sprintf("%d", s.nextTempFileID.Add(1)))
 }
 
+// NoteOriginalOCIConfig provides the config of the image, as it exists on the source, BUT converted to OCI format,
+// or an error obtaining that value (e.g. if the image is an artifact and not a container image).
+// The destination can use it in its TryReusingBlob/PutBlob implementations
+// (otherwise it only obtains the final config after all layers are written).
+func (s *storageImageDestination) NoteOriginalOCIConfig(ociConfig *imgspecv1.Image, configErr error) error {
+	if configErr != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("writing to c/storage without a valid image config: %w", configErr)
+	}
+	s.setUntrustedDiffIDValuesFromOCIConfig(ociConfig)
+	return nil
+}
+
 // PutBlobWithOptions writes contents of stream and returns data representing the result.
 // inputInfo.Digest can be optionally provided if known; if provided, and stream is read to the end without error, the digest MUST match the stream contents.
 // inputInfo.Size is the expected length of stream, if known.
@@ -1111,52 +1127,110 @@ func (s *storageImageDestination) createNewLayer(index int, layerDigest digest.D
 	return layer, nil
 }
 
+// uncommittedImageSource allows accessing an image’s metadata (not layers) before it has been committed,
+// to allow using image.FromUnparsedImage.
+type uncommittedImageSource struct {
+	srcImpl.Compat
+	srcImpl.PropertyMethodsInitialize
+	srcImpl.NoSignatures
+	srcImpl.DoesNotAffectLayerInfosForCopy
+	srcStubs.NoGetBlobAtInitialize
+
+	d *storageImageDestination
+}
+
+func newUncommittedImageSource(d *storageImageDestination) *uncommittedImageSource {
+	s := &uncommittedImageSource{
+		PropertyMethodsInitialize: srcImpl.PropertyMethods(srcImpl.Properties{
+			HasThreadSafeGetBlob: true,
+		}),
+		NoGetBlobAtInitialize: srcStubs.NoGetBlobAt(d.Reference()),
+
+		d: d,
+	}
+	s.Compat = srcImpl.AddCompat(s)
+	return s
+}
+
+func (u *uncommittedImageSource) Reference() types.ImageReference {
+	return u.d.Reference()
+}
+
+func (u *uncommittedImageSource) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (u *uncommittedImageSource) GetManifest(ctx context.Context, instanceDigest *digest.Digest) ([]byte, string, error) {
+	return u.d.manifest, u.d.manifestMIMEType, nil
+}
+
+func (u *uncommittedImageSource) GetBlob(ctx context.Context, info types.BlobInfo, cache types.BlobInfoCache) (io.ReadCloser, int64, error) {
+	blob, err := u.d.getConfigBlob(info)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, -1, err
+	}
+	return io.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader(blob)), int64(len(blob)), nil
+}
+
 // untrustedLayerDiffID returns a DiffID value for layerIndex from the image’s config.
 // If the value is not yet available (but it can be available after s.manifets is set), it returns ("", nil).
 // WARNING: We don’t validate the DiffID value against the layer contents; it must not be used for any deduplication.
 func (s *storageImageDestination) untrustedLayerDiffID(layerIndex int) (digest.Digest, error) {
-	// At this point, we are either inside the multi-threaded scope of HasThreadSafePutBlob, and
-	// nothing is writing to s.manifest yet, or PutManifest has been called and s.manifest != nil.
+	// At this point, we are either inside the multi-threaded scope of HasThreadSafePutBlob,
+	// nothing is writing to s.manifest yet, and s.untrustedDiffIDValues might have been set
+	// by NoteOriginalOCIConfig and are not being updated any more;
+	// or PutManifest has been called and s.manifest != nil.
 	// Either way this function does not need the protection of s.lock.
-	if s.manifest == nil {
-		return "", nil
-	}
 
 	if s.untrustedDiffIDValues == nil {
-		mt := manifest.GuessMIMEType(s.manifest)
-		if mt != imgspecv1.MediaTypeImageManifest {
-			// We could, in principle, build an ImageSource, support arbitrary image formats using image.FromUnparsedImage,
-			// and then use types.Image.OCIConfig so that we can parse the image.
-			//
-			// In practice, this should, right now, only matter for pulls of OCI images (this code path implies that a layer has annotation),
-			// while converting to a non-OCI formats, using a manual (skopeo copy) or something similar, not (podman pull).
-			// So it is not implemented yet.
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("determining DiffID for manifest type %q is not yet supported", mt)
+		// Typically, we expect untrustedDiffIDValues to be set by the generic copy code
+		// via NoteOriginalOCIConfig; this is a compatibility fallback for external callers
+		// of the public types.ImageDestination.
+		if s.manifest == nil {
+			return "", nil
 		}
-		man, err := manifest.FromBlob(s.manifest, mt)
+
+		ctx := context.Background() // This is all happening in memory, no need to worry about cancellation.
+		unparsed := image.UnparsedInstance(newUncommittedImageSource(s), nil)
+		sourced, err := image.FromUnparsedImage(ctx, nil, unparsed)
 		if err != nil {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("parsing manifest: %w", err)
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("parsing image to be committed: %w", err)
 		}
-
-		cb, err := s.getConfigBlob(man.ConfigInfo())
+		configOCI, err := sourced.OCIConfig(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
-			return "", err
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("obtaining config of image to be committed: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		// retrieve the expected uncompressed digest from the config blob.
-		configOCI := &imgspecv1.Image{}
-		if err := json.Unmarshal(cb, configOCI); err != nil {
-			return "", err
-		}
-		s.untrustedDiffIDValues = slices.Clone(configOCI.RootFS.DiffIDs)
-		if s.untrustedDiffIDValues == nil { // Unlikely but possible in theory…
-			s.untrustedDiffIDValues = []digest.Digest{}
-		}
+		s.setUntrustedDiffIDValuesFromOCIConfig(configOCI)
 	}
+
 	if layerIndex >= len(s.untrustedDiffIDValues) {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("image config has only %d DiffID values, but a layer with index %d exists", len(s.untrustedDiffIDValues), layerIndex)
 	}
-	return s.untrustedDiffIDValues[layerIndex], nil
+	res := s.untrustedDiffIDValues[layerIndex]
+	if res == "" {
+		// In practice, this should, right now, only matter for pulls of OCI images
+		// (this code path implies that we did a partial pull because a layer has an annotation),
+		// So, DiffIDs should always be set.
+		//
+		// It is, though, reachable by pulling an OCI image while converting to schema1,
+		// using a manual (skopeo copy) or something similar, not (podman pull).
+		//
+		// Our schema1.OCIConfig code produces non-empty DiffID arrays of empty values.
+		// The current semantics of this function are that ("", nil) means "try again later",
+		// which is not what we want to happen; for now, turn that into an explicit error.
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("DiffID value for layer %d is unknown or explicitly empty", layerIndex)
+	}
+	return res, nil
+}
+
+// setUntrustedDiffIDValuesFromOCIConfig updates s.untrustedDiffIDvalues from config.
+// The caller must ensure s.lock does not need to be held.
+func (s *storageImageDestination) setUntrustedDiffIDValuesFromOCIConfig(config *imgspecv1.Image) {
+	s.untrustedDiffIDValues = slices.Clone(config.RootFS.DiffIDs)
+	if s.untrustedDiffIDValues == nil { // Unlikely but possible in theory…
+		s.untrustedDiffIDValues = []digest.Digest{}
+	}
 }
 
 // CommitWithOptions marks the process of storing the image as successful and asks for the image to be persisted.
@@ -1166,7 +1240,7 @@ func (s *storageImageDestination) untrustedLayerDiffID(layerIndex int) (digest.D
 func (s *storageImageDestination) CommitWithOptions(ctx context.Context, options private.CommitOptions) error {
 	// This function is outside of the scope of HasThreadSafePutBlob, so we don’t need to hold s.lock.
 
-	if len(s.manifest) == 0 {
+	if s.manifest == nil {
 		return errors.New("Internal error: storageImageDestination.CommitWithOptions() called without PutManifest()")
 	}
 	toplevelManifest, _, err := options.UnparsedToplevel.Manifest(ctx)
@@ -1194,7 +1268,7 @@ func (s *storageImageDestination) CommitWithOptions(ctx context.Context, options
 		}
 	}
 	// Find the list of layer blobs.
-	man, err := manifest.FromBlob(s.manifest, manifest.GuessMIMEType(s.manifest))
+	man, err := manifest.FromBlob(s.manifest, s.manifestMIMEType)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("parsing manifest: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -1242,7 +1316,7 @@ func (s *storageImageDestination) CommitWithOptions(ctx context.Context, options
 	}
 	// Set up to save the options.UnparsedToplevel's manifest if it differs from
 	// the per-platform one, which is saved below.
-	if len(toplevelManifest) != 0 && !bytes.Equal(toplevelManifest, s.manifest) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(toplevelManifest, s.manifest) {
 		manifestDigest, err := manifest.Digest(toplevelManifest)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("digesting top-level manifest: %w", err)
@@ -1397,6 +1471,10 @@ func (s *storageImageDestination) PutManifest(ctx context.Context, manifestBlob
 		return err
 	}
 	s.manifest = bytes.Clone(manifestBlob)
+	if s.manifest == nil { // Make sure PutManifest can never succeed with s.manifest == nil
+		s.manifest = []byte{}
+	}
+	s.manifestMIMEType = manifest.GuessMIMEType(s.manifest)
 	s.manifestDigest = digest
 	return nil
 }
@@ -1419,7 +1497,7 @@ func (s *storageImageDestination) PutSignaturesWithFormat(ctx context.Context, s
 	if instanceDigest == nil {
 		s.signatures = sigblob
 		s.metadata.SignatureSizes = sizes
-		if len(s.manifest) > 0 {
+		if s.manifest != nil {
 			manifestDigest := s.manifestDigest
 			instanceDigest = &manifestDigest
 		}
diff --git a/storage/storage_src.go b/storage/storage_src.go
index 55788f8877..ff76b20667 100644
--- a/storage/storage_src.go
+++ b/storage/storage_src.go
@@ -35,13 +35,14 @@ type storageImageSource struct {
 	impl.PropertyMethodsInitialize
 	stubs.NoGetBlobAtInitialize
 
-	imageRef              storageReference
-	image                 *storage.Image
-	systemContext         *types.SystemContext // SystemContext used in GetBlob() to create temporary files
-	metadata              storageImageMetadata
-	cachedManifest        []byte     // A cached copy of the manifest, if already known, or nil
-	getBlobMutex          sync.Mutex // Mutex to sync state for parallel GetBlob executions
-	getBlobMutexProtected getBlobMutexProtected
+	imageRef               storageReference
+	image                  *storage.Image
+	systemContext          *types.SystemContext // SystemContext used in GetBlob() to create temporary files
+	metadata               storageImageMetadata
+	cachedManifest         []byte     // A cached copy of the manifest, if already known, or nil
+	cachedManifestMIMEType string     // Valid if cachedManifest != nil
+	getBlobMutex           sync.Mutex // Mutex to sync state for parallel GetBlob executions
+	getBlobMutexProtected  getBlobMutexProtected
 }
 
 // getBlobMutexProtected contains storageImageSource data protected by getBlobMutex.
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ func (s *storageImageSource) GetManifest(ctx context.Context, instanceDigest *di
 		}
 		return blob, manifest.GuessMIMEType(blob), err
 	}
-	if len(s.cachedManifest) == 0 {
+	if s.cachedManifest == nil {
 		// The manifest is stored as a big data item.
 		// Prefer the manifest corresponding to the user-specified digest, if available.
 		if s.imageRef.named != nil {
@@ -267,15 +268,16 @@ func (s *storageImageSource) GetManifest(ctx context.Context, instanceDigest *di
 		}
 		// If the user did not specify a digest, or this is an old image stored before manifestBigDataKey was introduced, use the default manifest.
 		// Note that the manifest may not match the expected digest, and that is likely to fail eventually, e.g. in c/image/image/UnparsedImage.Manifest().
-		if len(s.cachedManifest) == 0 {
+		if s.cachedManifest == nil {
 			cachedBlob, err := s.imageRef.transport.store.ImageBigData(s.image.ID, storage.ImageDigestBigDataKey)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, "", err
 			}
 			s.cachedManifest = cachedBlob
 		}
+		s.cachedManifestMIMEType = manifest.GuessMIMEType(s.cachedManifest)
 	}
-	return s.cachedManifest, manifest.GuessMIMEType(s.cachedManifest), err
+	return s.cachedManifest, s.cachedManifestMIMEType, err
 }
 
 // LayerInfosForCopy() returns the list of layer blobs that make up the root filesystem of