diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/image-service.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/image-service.go
index a647d569..5041c500 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/image-service.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/image-service.go
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import (
 
 	restfulspec "github.com/emicklei/go-restful-openapi/v2"
 	restful "github.com/emicklei/go-restful/v3"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/authn"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
+	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/v1/remote"
 	"github.com/metal-stack/metal-lib/httperrors"
 )
 
@@ -317,10 +320,16 @@ func (r *imageResource) createImage(request *restful.Request, response *restful.
 		}
 	}
 
+	var errs []error
 	err = checkImageURL(requestPayload.ID, requestPayload.URL)
 	if err != nil {
-		r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(err))
-		return
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+		err = checkOciImageURI(requestPayload.ID, "", "", requestPayload.URL)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(errors.Join(errs...)))
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	img := &metal.Image{
@@ -346,15 +355,42 @@ func (r *imageResource) createImage(request *restful.Request, response *restful.
 	r.send(request, response, http.StatusCreated, v1.NewImageResponse(img))
 }
 
+func checkOciImageURI(id, username, password, uri string) error {
+	ref, err := name.ParseReference(uri)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("image reference:%s could not be parsed. error:%w", uri, err)
+	}
+
+	var auth = authn.Anonymous
+	if username != "" || password != "" {
+		auth = &authn.Basic{
+			Username: username,
+			Password: password,
+		}
+	}
+
+	_, err = remote.Head(ref, remote.WithAuth(auth))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("image:%s is not accessible under:%s error:%w", id, uri, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func checkImageURL(id, url string) error {
-	// nolint
-	res, err := http.Head(url)
+	var (
+		err error
+		res *http.Response
+	)
+
+	res, err = http.Head(url)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("image:%s is not accessible under:%s error:%w", id, url, err)
 	}
 	if res.StatusCode >= 400 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("image:%s is not accessible under:%s status:%s", id, url, res.Status)
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -411,10 +447,16 @@ func (r *imageResource) updateImage(request *restful.Request, response *restful.
 		newImage.Description = *requestPayload.Description
 	}
 	if requestPayload.URL != nil {
+		var errs []error
 		err = checkImageURL(requestPayload.ID, *requestPayload.URL)
 		if err != nil {
-			r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(err))
-			return
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			err = checkOciImageURI(requestPayload.ID, "", "", *requestPayload.URL)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, err)
+				r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(errors.Join(errs...)))
+				return
+			}
 		}
 
 		newImage.URL = *requestPayload.URL
diff --git a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/partition-service.go b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/partition-service.go
index 9eee4531..a065dd01 100644
--- a/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/partition-service.go
+++ b/cmd/metal-api/internal/service/partition-service.go
@@ -175,10 +175,16 @@ func (r *partitionResource) createPartition(request *restful.Request, response *
 		imageURL = *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.ImageURL
 	}
 
+	var errs []error
 	err = checkImageURL("image", imageURL)
 	if err != nil {
-		r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(err))
-		return
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+		err = checkOciImageURI("image", "", "", imageURL)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(errors.Join(errs...)))
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	var kernelURL string
@@ -186,10 +192,16 @@ func (r *partitionResource) createPartition(request *restful.Request, response *
 		kernelURL = *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.KernelURL
 	}
 
-	err = checkImageURL("kernel", kernelURL)
+	errs = []error{}
+	err = checkImageURL("kernel", imageURL)
 	if err != nil {
-		r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(err))
-		return
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+		err = checkOciImageURI("kernel", "", "", imageURL)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(errors.Join(errs...)))
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	var commandLine string
@@ -275,7 +287,10 @@ func (r *partitionResource) deletePartition(request *restful.Request, response *
 }
 
 func (r *partitionResource) updatePartition(request *restful.Request, response *restful.Response) {
-	var requestPayload v1.PartitionUpdateRequest
+	var (
+		requestPayload v1.PartitionUpdateRequest
+		errs           []error
+	)
 	err := request.ReadEntity(&requestPayload)
 	if err != nil {
 		r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(err))
@@ -305,19 +320,31 @@ func (r *partitionResource) updatePartition(request *restful.Request, response *
 	if requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.ImageURL != nil {
 		err = checkImageURL("image", *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.ImageURL)
 		if err != nil {
-			r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(err))
-			return
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			err = checkOciImageURI("image", "", "", *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.ImageURL)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, err)
+				r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(errors.Join(errs...)))
+				return
+			}
 		}
 
 		newPartition.BootConfiguration.ImageURL = *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.ImageURL
 	}
 
 	if requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.KernelURL != nil {
+		errs = []error{}
 		err = checkImageURL("kernel", *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.KernelURL)
 		if err != nil {
-			r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(err))
-			return
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+			err = checkOciImageURI("kernel", "", "", *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.KernelURL)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, err)
+				r.sendError(request, response, httperrors.BadRequest(errors.Join(errs...)))
+				return
+			}
 		}
+
 		newPartition.BootConfiguration.KernelURL = *requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.KernelURL
 	}
 	if requestPayload.PartitionBootConfiguration.CommandLine != nil {
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 99411d6f..ccd172f4 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -38,6 +38,21 @@ require (
 	gopkg.in/rethinkdb/rethinkdb-go.v6 v6.2.2
 )
 
+require (
+	github.com/containerd/errdefs v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/containerd/errdefs/pkg v0.3.0 // indirect
+)
+
+require (
+	github.com/containerd/stargz-snapshotter/estargz v0.18.1 // indirect
+	github.com/docker/cli v29.0.3+incompatible // indirect
+	github.com/docker/distribution v2.8.3+incompatible // indirect
+	github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers v0.9.3 // indirect
+	github.com/google/go-containerregistry v0.20.7
+	github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir v1.1.0 // indirect
+	github.com/vbatts/tar-split v0.12.2 // indirect
+)
+
 // Newer versions do not export base entities which are used to composite other entities.
 // This breaks metalctl and friends
 replace github.com/emicklei/go-restful-openapi/v2 => github.com/emicklei/go-restful-openapi/v2 v2.9.1
@@ -51,8 +66,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4 v4.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v5 v5.0.3 // indirect
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.3.0 // indirect
-	github.com/containerd/errdefs v1.0.0 // indirect
-	github.com/containerd/errdefs/pkg v0.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/containerd/log v0.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/containerd/platforms v0.2.1 // indirect
 	github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3 v3.17.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index d35024db..3493159f 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ github.com/containerd/log v0.1.0 h1:TCJt7ioM2cr/tfR8GPbGf9/VRAX8D2B4PjzCpfX540I=
 github.com/containerd/log v0.1.0/go.mod h1:VRRf09a7mHDIRezVKTRCrOq78v577GXq3bSa3EhrzVo=
 github.com/containerd/platforms v0.2.1 h1:zvwtM3rz2YHPQsF2CHYM8+KtB5dvhISiXh5ZpSBQv6A=
 github.com/containerd/platforms v0.2.1/go.mod h1:XHCb+2/hzowdiut9rkudds9bE5yJ7npe7dG/wG+uFPw=
+github.com/containerd/stargz-snapshotter/estargz v0.18.1 h1:cy2/lpgBXDA3cDKSyEfNOFMA/c10O1axL69EU7iirO8=
+github.com/containerd/stargz-snapshotter/estargz v0.18.1/go.mod h1:ALIEqa7B6oVDsrF37GkGN20SuvG/pIMm7FwP7ZmRb0Q=
 github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3 v3.17.0 h1:hWBGaQfbi0iVviX4ibC7bk8OKT5qNr4klBaCHVNvehc=
 github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3 v3.17.0/go.mod h1:wqPbKFrVnE90vty060SB40FCJ8fTHTxSwyXJqZH+sI8=
 github.com/coreos/go-semver v0.3.1 h1:yi21YpKnrx1gt5R+la8n5WgS0kCrsPp33dmEyHReZr4=
@@ -71,8 +73,14 @@ github.com/dgryski/go-rendezvous v0.0.0-20200823014737-9f7001d12a5f h1:lO4WD4F/r
 github.com/dgryski/go-rendezvous v0.0.0-20200823014737-9f7001d12a5f/go.mod h1:cuUVRXasLTGF7a8hSLbxyZXjz+1KgoB3wDUb6vlszIc=
 github.com/distribution/reference v0.6.0 h1:0IXCQ5g4/QMHHkarYzh5l+u8T3t73zM5QvfrDyIgxBk=
 github.com/distribution/reference v0.6.0/go.mod h1:BbU0aIcezP1/5jX/8MP0YiH4SdvB5Y4f/wlDRiLyi3E=
+github.com/docker/cli v29.0.3+incompatible h1:8J+PZIcF2xLd6h5sHPsp5pvvJA+Sr2wGQxHkRl53a1E=
+github.com/docker/cli v29.0.3+incompatible/go.mod h1:JLrzqnKDaYBop7H2jaqPtU4hHvMKP+vjCwu2uszcLI8=
+github.com/docker/distribution v2.8.3+incompatible h1:AtKxIZ36LoNK51+Z6RpzLpddBirtxJnzDrHLEKxTAYk=
+github.com/docker/distribution v2.8.3+incompatible/go.mod h1:J2gT2udsDAN96Uj4KfcMRqY0/ypR+oyYUYmja8H+y+w=
 github.com/docker/docker v28.5.2+incompatible h1:DBX0Y0zAjZbSrm1uzOkdr1onVghKaftjlSWt4AFexzM=
 github.com/docker/docker v28.5.2+incompatible/go.mod h1:eEKB0N0r5NX/I1kEveEz05bcu8tLC/8azJZsviup8Sk=
+github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers v0.9.3 h1:gAm/VtF9wgqJMoxzT3Gj5p4AqIjCBS4wrsOh9yRqcz8=
+github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers v0.9.3/go.mod h1:x+4Gbw9aGmChi3qTLZj8Dfn0TD20M/fuWy0E5+WDeCo=
 github.com/docker/go-connections v0.6.0 h1:LlMG9azAe1TqfR7sO+NJttz1gy6KO7VJBh+pMmjSD94=
 github.com/docker/go-connections v0.6.0/go.mod h1:AahvXYshr6JgfUJGdDCs2b5EZG/vmaMAntpSFH5BFKE=
 github.com/docker/go-units v0.5.0 h1:69rxXcBk27SvSaaxTtLh/8llcHD8vYHT7WSdRZ/jvr4=
@@ -180,6 +188,8 @@ github.com/golang/snappy v1.0.0 h1:Oy607GVXHs7RtbggtPBnr2RmDArIsAefDwvrdWvRhGs=
 github.com/golang/snappy v1.0.0/go.mod h1:/XxbfmMg8lxefKM7IXC3fBNl/7bRcc72aCRzEWrmP2Q=
 github.com/google/go-cmp v0.7.0 h1:wk8382ETsv4JYUZwIsn6YpYiWiBsYLSJiTsyBybVuN8=
 github.com/google/go-cmp v0.7.0/go.mod h1:pXiqmnSA92OHEEa9HXL2W4E7lf9JzCmGVUdgjX3N/iU=
+github.com/google/go-containerregistry v0.20.7 h1:24VGNpS0IwrOZ2ms2P1QE3Xa5X9p4phx0aUgzYzHW6I=
+github.com/google/go-containerregistry v0.20.7/go.mod h1:Lx5LCZQjLH1QBaMPeGwsME9biPeo1lPx6lbGj/UmzgM=
 github.com/google/gofuzz v1.0.0/go.mod h1:dBl0BpW6vV/+mYPU4Po3pmUjxk6FQPldtuIdl/M65Eg=
 github.com/google/pprof v0.0.0-20240829160300-da1f7e9f2b25 h1:sEDPKUw6iPjczdu33njxFjO6tYa9bfc0z/QyB/zSsBw=
 github.com/google/pprof v0.0.0-20240829160300-da1f7e9f2b25/go.mod h1:vavhavw2zAxS5dIdcRluK6cSGGPlZynqzFM8NdvU144=
@@ -300,6 +310,8 @@ github.com/metal-stack/v v1.0.3 h1:Sh2oBlnxrCUD+mVpzfC8HiqL045YWkxs0gpTvkjppqs=
 github.com/metal-stack/v v1.0.3/go.mod h1:YTahEu7/ishwpYKnp/VaW/7nf8+PInogkfGwLcGPdXg=
 github.com/minio/minlz v1.0.1 h1:OUZUzXcib8diiX+JYxyRLIdomyZYzHct6EShOKtQY2A=
 github.com/minio/minlz v1.0.1/go.mod h1:qT0aEB35q79LLornSzeDH75LBf3aH1MV+jB5w9Wasec=
+github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir v1.1.0 h1:lukF9ziXFxDFPkA1vsr5zpc1XuPDn/wFntq5mG+4E0Y=
+github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir v1.1.0/go.mod h1:SfyaCUpYCn1Vlf4IUYiD9fPX4A5wJrkLzIz1N1q0pr0=
 github.com/moby/docker-image-spec v1.3.1 h1:jMKff3w6PgbfSa69GfNg+zN/XLhfXJGnEx3Nl2EsFP0=
 github.com/moby/docker-image-spec v1.3.1/go.mod h1:eKmb5VW8vQEh/BAr2yvVNvuiJuY6UIocYsFu/DxxRpo=
 github.com/moby/go-archive v0.1.0 h1:Kk/5rdW/g+H8NHdJW2gsXyZ7UnzvJNOy6VKJqueWdcQ=
@@ -428,6 +440,8 @@ github.com/tklauser/numcpus v0.10.0 h1:18njr6LDBk1zuna922MgdjQuJFjrdppsZG60sHGfj
 github.com/tklauser/numcpus v0.10.0/go.mod h1:BiTKazU708GQTYF4mB+cmlpT2Is1gLk7XVuEeem8LsQ=
 github.com/valyala/fastjson v1.6.4 h1:uAUNq9Z6ymTgGhcm0UynUAB6tlbakBrz6CQFax3BXVQ=
 github.com/valyala/fastjson v1.6.4/go.mod h1:CLCAqky6SMuOcxStkYQvblddUtoRxhYMGLrsQns1aXY=
+github.com/vbatts/tar-split v0.12.2 h1:w/Y6tjxpeiFMR47yzZPlPj/FcPLpXbTUi/9H7d3CPa4=
+github.com/vbatts/tar-split v0.12.2/go.mod h1:eF6B6i6ftWQcDqEn3/iGFRFRo8cBIMSJVOpnNdfTMFA=
 github.com/xdg-go/pbkdf2 v1.0.0 h1:Su7DPu48wXMwC3bs7MCNG+z4FhcyEuz5dlvchbq0B0c=
 github.com/xdg-go/pbkdf2 v1.0.0/go.mod h1:jrpuAogTd400dnrH08LKmI/xc1MbPOebTwRqcT5RDeI=
 github.com/xdg-go/scram v1.1.2 h1:FHX5I5B4i4hKRVRBCFRxq1iQRej7WO3hhBuJf+UUySY=