diff --git a/cmd/containers-storage/create.go b/cmd/containers-storage/create.go
index 8414e18aa..197824512 100644
--- a/cmd/containers-storage/create.go
+++ b/cmd/containers-storage/create.go
@@ -148,7 +148,10 @@ func createImage(flags *mflag.FlagSet, action string, m storage.Store, args []st
 		}
 		paramMetadata = string(b)
 	}
-	layer := args[0]
+	layer := ""
+	if len(args) > 0 {
+		layer = args[0]
+	}
 	imageOptions := &storage.ImageOptions{
 		Digest: digest.Digest(paramDigest),
 	}
@@ -251,7 +254,7 @@ func init() {
 		names:       []string{"create-image", "createimage"},
 		optionsHelp: "[options [...]] topLayerNameOrID",
 		usage:       "Create a new image using layers",
-		minArgs:     1,
+		minArgs:     0,
 		maxArgs:     1,
 		action:      createImage,
 		addFlags: func(flags *mflag.FlagSet, cmd *command) {
diff --git a/store.go b/store.go
index dd3405212..54400a4f1 100644
--- a/store.go
+++ b/store.go
@@ -1587,10 +1587,12 @@ func (s *store) ImageSize(id string) (int64, error) {
 		return -1, errors.Wrapf(ErrImageUnknown, "error locating image with ID %q", id)
 	}
 
-	// Start with a list of the image's top layers.
+	// Start with a list of the image's top layers, if it has any.
 	queue := make(map[string]struct{})
 	for _, layerID := range append([]string{image.TopLayer}, image.MappedTopLayers...) {
-		queue[layerID] = struct{}{}
+		if layerID != "" {
+			queue[layerID] = struct{}{}
+		}
 	}
 	visited := make(map[string]struct{})
 	// Walk all of the layers.
diff --git a/tests/image.bats b/tests/image.bats
index 5eec5c191..d38607f0c 100644
--- a/tests/image.bats
+++ b/tests/image.bats
@@ -28,3 +28,29 @@ load helpers
 	[[ "$output" =~ "Data: random1" ]]
 	[[ "$output" =~ "Data: random2" ]]
 }
+
+@test "layerless-image" {
+	# Add an image with no specified layers.
+	name=wonderful-image
+	run storage --debug=false create-image --name $name
+	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+	[ "$output" != "" ]
+	image=${lines[0]}
+
+	# Add a couple of big data items.
+	createrandom ${TESTDIR}/random1
+	createrandom ${TESTDIR}/random2
+	storage set-image-data -f ${TESTDIR}/random1 $image random1
+	storage set-image-data -f ${TESTDIR}/random2 $image random2
+
+	# Get information about the image, and make sure the ID, name, and data names were preserved,
+	# and that we can properly report its disk usage.
+	run storage image $image
+	echo "$output"
+	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+	[[ "$output" =~ "ID: $image" ]]
+	[[ "$output" =~ "Name: $name" ]]
+	[[ "$output" =~ "Data: random1" ]]
+	[[ "$output" =~ "Data: random2" ]]
+	[[ "$output" =~ "Size: 512" ]]
+}