diff --git a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob.go b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob.go
index 24de2dbbf52..37e2d0282bf 100644
--- a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob.go
+++ b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func (c *VerifyBlobCmd) Exec(ctx context.Context, blobRef string) error {
 		return &options.PubKeyParseError{}
 	}
 
-	if c.KeyOpts.NewBundleFormat {
+	if c.KeyOpts.NewBundleFormat || checkNewBundle(c.BundlePath) {
 		if options.NOf(c.RFC3161TimestampPath, c.TSACertChainPath, c.RekorURL, c.CertChain, c.CARoots, c.CAIntermediates, c.CertRef, c.SigRef, c.SCTRef) > 1 {
 			return fmt.Errorf("when using --new-bundle-format, please supply signed content with --bundle and verification content with --trusted-root")
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob_attestation.go b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob_attestation.go
index 061e46d6383..3c420930dbb 100644
--- a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob_attestation.go
+++ b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_blob_attestation.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func (c *VerifyBlobAttestationCommand) Exec(ctx context.Context, artifactPath st
 		return &options.KeyParseError{}
 	}
 
-	if c.KeyOpts.NewBundleFormat {
+	if c.KeyOpts.NewBundleFormat || checkNewBundle(c.BundlePath) {
 		if options.NOf(c.RFC3161TimestampPath, c.TSACertChainPath, c.RekorURL, c.CertChain, c.CARoots, c.CAIntermediates, c.CertRef, c.SCTRef) > 1 {
 			return fmt.Errorf("when using --new-bundle-format, please supply signed content with --bundle and verification content with --trusted-root")
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_bundle.go b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_bundle.go
index 05a50ebd801..782d187a7ec 100644
--- a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_bundle.go
+++ b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify/verify_bundle.go
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ func (v *verifyTrustedMaterial) PublicKeyVerifier(hint string) (root.TimeConstra
 	return v.keyTrustedMaterial.PublicKeyVerifier(hint)
 }
 
+func checkNewBundle(bundlePath string) bool {
+	_, err := sgbundle.LoadJSONFromPath(bundlePath)
+	return err == nil
+}
+
 func verifyNewBundle(ctx context.Context, bundlePath, trustedRootPath, keyRef, slot, certOIDCIssuer, certOIDCIssuerRegex, certIdentity, certIdentityRegexp, githubWorkflowTrigger, githubWorkflowSHA, githubWorkflowName, githubWorkflowRepository, githubWorkflowRef, artifactRef string, sk, ignoreTlog, useSignedTimestamps, ignoreSCT bool) (*verify.VerificationResult, error) {
 	bundle, err := sgbundle.LoadJSONFromPath(bundlePath)
 	if err != nil {