diff --git a/cmd/podman/machine/init.go b/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
index 88f358d764..3e97a7f942 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/define"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/shim"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/vmconfigs"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -101,9 +102,17 @@ func init() {
 	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.Username, UsernameFlagName, cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.User, "Username used in image")
 	_ = initCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(UsernameFlagName, completion.AutocompleteDefault)
 
+	ImageFlagName := "image"
+	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.Image, ImageFlagName, cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.Image, "Bootable image for machine")
+	_ = initCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(ImageFlagName, completion.AutocompleteDefault)
+
+	// Deprecate image-path option, use --image instead
 	ImagePathFlagName := "image-path"
-	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.ImagePath, ImagePathFlagName, "", "Path to bootable image")
+	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.Image, ImagePathFlagName, cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.Image, "Bootable image for machine")
 	_ = initCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(ImagePathFlagName, completion.AutocompleteDefault)
+	if err := flags.MarkDeprecated(ImagePathFlagName, "use --image instead"); err != nil {
+		logrus.Error("unable to mark image-path flag deprecated")
+	}
 
 	VolumeFlagName := "volume"
 	flags.StringArrayVarP(&initOpts.Volumes, VolumeFlagName, "v", cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.Volumes.Get(), "Volumes to mount, source:target")
diff --git a/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in b/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in
index 17fde730d7..ae8a1bf639 100644
--- a/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in
+++ b/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in
@@ -73,11 +73,10 @@ Fully qualified path of the ignition file.
 If an ignition file is provided, the file
 is copied into the user's CONF_DIR and renamed.  Additionally, no SSH keys are generated, nor are any system connections made.  It is assumed that the user does these things manually or handled otherwise.
 
-#### **--image-path**
+#### **--image**
 
-Fully qualified path or URL to the VM image.
-Can also be set to `testing`, `next`, or `stable` to pull down default image.
-Defaults to `testing`.
+Fully qualified registry, path, or URL to a VM image.
+Registry target must be in the form of `docker://registry/repo/image:version`.
 
 #### **--memory**, **-m**=*number*
 
diff --git a/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go b/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go
index 06bbef8520..fcf922958b 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ type InitOptions struct {
 	CPUS               uint64
 	DiskSize           uint64
 	IgnitionPath       string
-	ImagePath          string
+	Image              string
 	Volumes            []string
 	VolumeDriver       string
 	IsDefault          bool
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/machine_pull_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/machine_pull_test.go
index c441f91926..8a37e178c5 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/machine_pull_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/machine_pull_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func pullOCITestDisk(finalDir string, vmType define.VMType) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	dirs := define.MachineDirs{ImageCacheDir: imageCacheDir}
-	ociArtPull, err := ocipull.NewOCIArtifactPull(context.Background(), &dirs, "e2emachine", vmType, unusedFinalPath)
+	ociArtPull, err := ocipull.NewOCIArtifactPull(context.Background(), &dirs, "", "e2emachine", vmType, unusedFinalPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/machine/ocipull/ociartifact.go b/pkg/machine/ocipull/ociartifact.go
index 2c8604da40..5e17cdf993 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/ocipull/ociartifact.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/ocipull/ociartifact.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	// TODO This is temporary until we decide on a proper image name
+	// Also should be moved into c/common once stabilized
 	artifactRegistry     = "quay.io"
 	artifactRepo         = "baude"
 	artifactImageName    = "stage-podman-machine-image"
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ type DiskArtifactOpts struct {
 
 */
 
-func NewOCIArtifactPull(ctx context.Context, dirs *define.MachineDirs, vmName string, vmType define.VMType, finalPath *define.VMFile) (*OCIArtifactDisk, error) {
+func NewOCIArtifactPull(ctx context.Context, dirs *define.MachineDirs, endpoint string, vmName string, vmType define.VMType, finalPath *define.VMFile) (*OCIArtifactDisk, error) {
 	var (
 		arch string
 	)
@@ -91,12 +92,17 @@ func NewOCIArtifactPull(ctx context.Context, dirs *define.MachineDirs, vmName st
 		diskType: vmType.String(),
 		os:       machineOS,
 	}
+
+	if endpoint == "" {
+		endpoint = fmt.Sprintf("docker://%s/%s/%s:%s", artifactRegistry, artifactRepo, artifactImageName, artifactVersion.majorMinor())
+	}
+
 	ociDisk := OCIArtifactDisk{
 		ctx:              ctx,
 		dirs:             dirs,
 		diskArtifactOpts: &diskOpts,
 		finalPath:        finalPath.GetPath(),
-		imageEndpoint:    fmt.Sprintf("docker://%s/%s/%s:%s", artifactRegistry, artifactRepo, artifactImageName, artifactVersion.majorMinor()),
+		imageEndpoint:    endpoint,
 		machineVersion:   artifactVersion,
 		name:             vmName,
 		pullOptions:      &PullOptions{},
diff --git a/pkg/machine/shim/diskpull/diskpull.go b/pkg/machine/shim/diskpull/diskpull.go
index ce768ad593..49e9ff09e1 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/shim/diskpull/diskpull.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/shim/diskpull/diskpull.go
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ func GetDisk(userInputPath string, dirs *define.MachineDirs, imagePath *define.V
 		mydisk ocipull.Disker
 	)
 
-	if userInputPath == "" {
-		mydisk, err = ocipull.NewOCIArtifactPull(context.Background(), dirs, name, vmType, imagePath)
+	if userInputPath == "" || strings.HasPrefix(userInputPath, "docker://") {
+		mydisk, err = ocipull.NewOCIArtifactPull(context.Background(), dirs, userInputPath, name, vmType, imagePath)
 	} else {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(userInputPath, "http") {
 			// TODO probably should use tempdir instead of datadir
diff --git a/pkg/machine/shim/host.go b/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
index 133ec91242..f69bd8cbeb 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func Init(opts machineDefine.InitOptions, mp vmconfigs.VMProvider) (*vmconfigs.M
 	// "/path
 	// "docker://quay.io/something/someManifest
 
-	if err := mp.GetDisk(opts.ImagePath, dirs, mc); err != nil {
+	if err := mp.GetDisk(opts.Image, dirs, mc); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go b/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go
index fdb07ad18e..c28db07842 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/ocipull"
+	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/shim/diskpull"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/stdpull"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/wsl/wutil"
 
@@ -281,11 +282,15 @@ func (w WSLStubber) VMType() define.VMType {
 	return define.WSLVirt
 }
 
-func (w WSLStubber) GetDisk(_ string, dirs *define.MachineDirs, mc *vmconfigs.MachineConfig) error {
+func (w WSLStubber) GetDisk(userInputPath string, dirs *define.MachineDirs, mc *vmconfigs.MachineConfig) error {
 	var (
 		myDisk ocipull.Disker
 	)
 
+	if userInputPath != "" {
+		return diskpull.GetDisk(userInputPath, dirs, mc.ImagePath, w.VMType(), mc.Name)
+	}
+
 	// check github for the latest version of the WSL dist
 	downloadURL, downloadVersion, _, _, err := GetFedoraDownloadForWSL()
 	if err != nil {