diff --git a/common/libimage/normalize_test.go b/common/libimage/normalize_test.go
index 63659178b1..206c0eb351 100644
--- a/common/libimage/normalize_test.go
+++ b/common/libimage/normalize_test.go
@@ -54,6 +54,34 @@ func TestNormalizePlatform(t *testing.T) {
 			platform{"linux", "aarch64", ""},
 			platform{"linux", "arm64", ""},
 		},
+		// Verify: https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/main/platforms/database.go#L97
+		{
+			platform{"linux", "arm64", "8"},
+			platform{"linux", "arm64", "v8"},
+		},
+		// Verify: https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/main/platforms/database.go#L100
+		{
+			platform{"linux", "armhf", ""},
+			platform{"linux", "arm", "v7"},
+		},
+		{
+			platform{"linux", "armhf", "v7"},
+			platform{"linux", "arm", "v7"},
+		},
+		// Verify: https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/main/platforms/database.go#L103
+		{
+			platform{"linux", "armel", ""},
+			platform{"linux", "arm", "v6"},
+		},
+		// Verify: https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/main/platforms/database.go#L103
+		{
+			platform{"linux", "armel", "v6"},
+			platform{"linux", "arm", "v6"},
+		},
+		{
+			platform{"linux", "armel", ""},
+			platform{"linux", "arm", "v6"},
+		},
 	} {
 		os, arch, variant := NormalizePlatform(test.input.os, test.input.arch, test.input.variant)
 		assert.Equal(t, test.expected.os, os, test.input)
diff --git a/common/libimage/platform.go b/common/libimage/platform.go
index 274b2aa069..4d5dde310a 100644
--- a/common/libimage/platform.go
+++ b/common/libimage/platform.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/platforms"
+	v1 "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
@@ -20,9 +21,18 @@ const (
 )
 
 // NormalizePlatform normalizes (according to the OCI spec) the specified os,
-// arch and variant.  If left empty, the individual item will not be normalized.
+// arch and variant.  If left empty, the individual item will be normalized.
 func NormalizePlatform(rawOS, rawArch, rawVariant string) (os, arch, variant string) {
-	rawPlatform := toPlatformString(rawOS, rawArch, rawVariant)
+	platformSpec := v1.Platform{
+		OS:           rawOS,
+		Architecture: rawArch,
+		Variant:      rawVariant,
+	}
+	normalizedSpec := platforms.Normalize(platformSpec)
+	if normalizedSpec.Variant == "" && rawVariant != "" {
+		normalizedSpec.Variant = rawVariant
+	}
+	rawPlatform := toPlatformString(normalizedSpec.OS, normalizedSpec.Architecture, normalizedSpec.Variant)
 	normalizedPlatform, err := platforms.Parse(rawPlatform)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Debugf("Error normalizing platform: %v", err)
@@ -38,7 +48,7 @@ func NormalizePlatform(rawOS, rawArch, rawVariant string) (os, arch, variant str
 		arch = normalizedPlatform.Architecture
 	}
 	variant = rawVariant
-	if rawVariant != "" {
+	if rawVariant != "" || (rawVariant == "" && normalizedPlatform.Variant != "") {
 		variant = normalizedPlatform.Variant
 	}
 	return os, arch, variant