diff --git a/common/libimage/manifest_list.go b/common/libimage/manifest_list.go
index d7ee5e6b67..14d00685cb 100644
--- a/common/libimage/manifest_list.go
+++ b/common/libimage/manifest_list.go
@@ -314,6 +314,29 @@ type ManifestListAddOptions struct {
 	Password string
 }
 
+func (m *ManifestList) parseNameToExtantReference(ctx context.Context, name string, manifestList bool, what string) (types.ImageReference, error) {
+	ref, err := alltransports.ParseImageName(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		withDocker := fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s", docker.Transport.Name(), name)
+		ref, err = alltransports.ParseImageName(withDocker)
+		if err == nil {
+			var src types.ImageSource
+			src, err = ref.NewImageSource(ctx, nil)
+			if err == nil {
+				src.Close()
+			}
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			image, _, lookupErr := m.image.runtime.LookupImage(name, &LookupImageOptions{ManifestList: manifestList})
+			if lookupErr != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("locating %s: %q: %w; %q: %w", what, withDocker, err, name, lookupErr)
+			}
+			ref, err = image.storageReference, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return ref, err
+}
+
 // Add adds one or more manifests to the manifest list and returns the digest
 // of the added instance.
 func (m *ManifestList) Add(ctx context.Context, name string, options *ManifestListAddOptions) (digest.Digest, error) {
@@ -321,13 +344,9 @@ func (m *ManifestList) Add(ctx context.Context, name string, options *ManifestLi
 		options = &ManifestListAddOptions{}
 	}
 
-	ref, err := alltransports.ParseImageName(name)
+	ref, err := m.parseNameToExtantReference(ctx, name, false, "image to add to manifest list")
 	if err != nil {
-		withDocker := fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s", docker.Transport.Name(), name)
-		ref, err = alltransports.ParseImageName(withDocker)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", err
-		}
+		return "", err
 	}
 
 	// Now massage in the copy-related options into the system context.
@@ -428,17 +447,9 @@ func (m *ManifestList) AddArtifact(ctx context.Context, options *ManifestListAdd
 		opts.LayerMediaType = &options.LayerType
 	}
 	if options.Subject != "" {
-		ref, err := alltransports.ParseImageName(options.Subject)
+		ref, err := m.parseNameToExtantReference(ctx, options.Subject, true, "subject for artifact manifest")
 		if err != nil {
-			withDocker := fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s", docker.Transport.Name(), options.Subject)
-			ref, err = alltransports.ParseImageName(withDocker)
-			if err != nil {
-				image, _, err := m.image.runtime.LookupImage(options.Subject, &LookupImageOptions{ManifestList: true})
-				if err != nil {
-					return "", fmt.Errorf("locating subject for artifact manifest: %w", err)
-				}
-				ref = image.storageReference
-			}
+			return "", err
 		}
 		opts.SubjectReference = ref
 	}
@@ -541,17 +552,9 @@ func (m *ManifestList) AnnotateInstance(d digest.Digest, options *ManifestListAn
 		}
 	}
 	if options.Subject != "" {
-		ref, err := alltransports.ParseImageName(options.Subject)
+		ref, err := m.parseNameToExtantReference(ctx, options.Subject, true, "subject for image index")
 		if err != nil {
-			withDocker := fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s", docker.Transport.Name(), options.Subject)
-			ref, err = alltransports.ParseImageName(withDocker)
-			if err != nil {
-				image, _, err := m.image.runtime.LookupImage(options.Subject, &LookupImageOptions{ManifestList: true})
-				if err != nil {
-					return fmt.Errorf("locating subject for image index: %w", err)
-				}
-				ref = image.storageReference
-			}
+			return err
 		}
 		src, err := ref.NewImageSource(ctx, &m.image.runtime.systemContext)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/common/libimage/manifest_list_test.go b/common/libimage/manifest_list_test.go
index 6fc46372b1..7d6e1ceae2 100644
--- a/common/libimage/manifest_list_test.go
+++ b/common/libimage/manifest_list_test.go
@@ -116,10 +116,22 @@ func TestCreateAndTagManifestList(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, list)
 
+	_, err = runtime.Load(ctx, "testdata/oci-unnamed.tar.gz", nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// add a remote reference
 	manifestListOpts := &ManifestListAddOptions{All: true}
 	_, err = list.Add(ctx, "docker://busybox", manifestListOpts)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
+	// add a remote reference where we have to figure out that it's remote
+	_, err = list.Add(ctx, "busybox", manifestListOpts)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// add using a local image's ID
+	_, err = list.Add(ctx, "5c8aca8137ac47e84c69ae93ce650ce967917cc001ba7aad5494073fac75b8b6", manifestListOpts)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
 	list, err = runtime.LookupManifestList(listName)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, list)
diff --git a/common/pkg/config/config_local_test.go b/common/pkg/config/config_local_test.go
index 56e97bcf91..91ba58f6dc 100644
--- a/common/pkg/config/config_local_test.go
+++ b/common/pkg/config/config_local_test.go
@@ -355,25 +355,25 @@ var _ = Describe("Config Local", func() {
 		// Given
 		config1, err := New(nil)
 		// Then
-		gomega.Expect(err).To(gomega.BeNil())
+		gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
 		gomega.Expect(config1.Engine.CdiSpecDirs.Get()).To(gomega.Equal([]string{"/etc/cdi"}))
 
 		// Given default just get default
 		config2, err := NewConfig("testdata/containers_default.conf")
 		// Then
-		gomega.Expect(err).To(gomega.BeNil())
+		gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
 		gomega.Expect(config2.Engine.CdiSpecDirs.Get()).To(gomega.Equal([]string{"/etc/cdi"}))
 
 		// Given override just get override
 		config3, err := NewConfig("testdata/containers_override.conf")
 		// Then
-		gomega.Expect(err).To(gomega.BeNil())
+		gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
 		gomega.Expect(config3.Engine.CdiSpecDirs.Get()).To(gomega.Equal([]string{"/somepath"}))
 
 		// Given override just get override
 		config4, err := NewConfig("testdata/containers_override2.conf")
 		// Then
-		gomega.Expect(err).To(gomega.BeNil())
+		gomega.Expect(err).ToNot(gomega.HaveOccurred())
 		gomega.Expect(config4.Engine.CdiSpecDirs.Get()).To(gomega.Equal([]string{"/somepath", "/some_other_path"}))
 	})