diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index cf09b1dcf8..615fdd9a2b 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/anchore/stereoscope v0.0.0-20231027135531-5909e353ee88
 	github.com/anchore/syft v0.84.1
 	github.com/derailed/k9s v0.27.4
-	github.com/distribution/distribution v2.8.3+incompatible
+	github.com/distribution/reference v0.5.0
 	github.com/docker/cli v24.0.6+incompatible
 	github.com/fairwindsops/pluto/v5 v5.18.4
 	github.com/fatih/color v1.15.0
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/digitorus/pkcs7 v0.0.0-20230818184609-3a137a874352 // indirect
 	github.com/digitorus/timestamp v0.0.0-20230821155606-d1ad5ca9624c // indirect
 	github.com/dimchansky/utfbom v1.1.1 // indirect
-	github.com/distribution/reference v0.5.0 // indirect
 	github.com/docker/distribution v2.8.3+incompatible // indirect
 	github.com/docker/docker v24.0.6+incompatible // indirect
 	github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers v0.7.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 31af02f262..a4189b2d5d 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -510,8 +510,6 @@ github.com/digitorus/timestamp v0.0.0-20230821155606-d1ad5ca9624c/go.mod h1:GvWn
 github.com/dimchansky/utfbom v1.1.0/go.mod h1:rO41eb7gLfo8SF1jd9F8HplJm1Fewwi4mQvIirEdv+8=
 github.com/dimchansky/utfbom v1.1.1 h1:vV6w1AhK4VMnhBno/TPVCoK9U/LP0PkLCS9tbxHdi/U=
 github.com/dimchansky/utfbom v1.1.1/go.mod h1:SxdoEBH5qIqFocHMyGOXVAybYJdr71b1Q/j0mACtrfE=
-github.com/distribution/distribution v2.8.3+incompatible h1:RlpEXBLq/WPXYvBYMDAmBX/SnhD67qwtvW/DzKc8pAo=
-github.com/distribution/distribution v2.8.3+incompatible/go.mod h1:EgLm2NgWtdKgzF9NpMzUKgzmR7AMmb0VQi2B+ZzDRjc=
 github.com/distribution/distribution/v3 v3.0.0-20221208165359-362910506bc2 h1:aBfCb7iqHmDEIp6fBvC/hQUddQfg+3qdYjwzaiP9Hnc=
 github.com/distribution/distribution/v3 v3.0.0-20221208165359-362910506bc2/go.mod h1:WHNsWjnIn2V1LYOrME7e8KxSeKunYHsxEm4am0BUtcI=
 github.com/distribution/reference v0.5.0 h1:/FUIFXtfc/x2gpa5/VGfiGLuOIdYa1t65IKK2OFGvA0=
diff --git a/src/pkg/transform/image.go b/src/pkg/transform/image.go
index 2d511c1233..7cff153c34 100644
--- a/src/pkg/transform/image.go
+++ b/src/pkg/transform/image.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/pkg/utils/helpers"
-	"github.com/distribution/distribution/reference"
+	"github.com/distribution/reference"
 )
 
 // Image represents a config for an OCI image.