diff --git a/pkg/cmd/admin/image/verify-signature.go b/pkg/cmd/admin/image/verify-signature.go
index ef074c04a935..aae9f3693a47 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/admin/image/verify-signature.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/admin/image/verify-signature.go
@@ -31,13 +31,14 @@ var (
 	`)
 
 	verifyImageSignatureExample = templates.Examples(`
-	# Verify the image signature using the public key and record the status as a condition to image
-	%[1]s sha256:c841e9b64e4579bd56c794bdd7c36e1c257110fd2404bebbb8b613e4935228c4 --public-key=production.gpg --confirm
+	# Verify the image signature using the local GNUPG keychan and record the status as a condition to image
+	%[1]s sha256:c841e9b64e4579bd56c794bdd7c36e1c257110fd2404bebbb8b613e4935228c4 --expected-identity=registry.local:5000/foo/bar:v1
 	`)
 )
 
 type VerifyImageSignatureOptions struct {
 	InputImage        string
+	ExpectedIdentity  string
 	PublicKeyFilename string
 	PublicKey         []byte
 	Confirm           bool
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ func NewCmdVerifyImageSignature(name, fullName string, f *clientcmd.Factory, out
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&opts.Confirm, "confirm", opts.Confirm, "If true, the result of the verification will be recorded to an image object.")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&opts.Remove, "remove", opts.Remove, "If set, the current signature verification will be removed from the image.")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&opts.PublicKeyFilename, "public-key", opts.PublicKeyFilename, "A path to a public GPG key to be used for verification.")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&opts.ExpectedIdentity, "expected-identity", opts.ExpectedIdentity, "An expected image docker reference to verify.")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -73,6 +75,9 @@ func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) Complete(f *clientcmd.Factory, cmd *cobra.
 		return kcmdutil.UsageError(cmd, "exactly one image must be specified")
 	}
 	o.InputImage = args[0]
+	if len(o.ExpectedIdentity) == 0 {
+		return kcmdutil.UsageError(cmd, "the --expected-identity must be specified")
+	}
 	var err error
 
 	// If --public-key is provided only this key will be used for verification and the
@@ -128,7 +133,7 @@ func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) verifySignature(signature []byte) (string,
 
 // verifySignatureContent verifies that the signature content matches the given image.
 // TODO: This should be done by calling the 'containers/image' library in future.
-func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) verifySignatureContent(content []byte) (string, string, error) {
+func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) verifySignatureContent(content []byte) (string, error) {
 	// TODO: The types here are just to decompose the JSON. The fields should not change but
 	// we need to use containers/image library here to guarantee compatibility in future.
 	type criticalImage struct {
@@ -146,31 +151,20 @@ func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) verifySignatureContent(content []byte) (st
 	}
 	m := message{}
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(content, &m); err != nil {
-		return "", "", err
+		return "", err
 	}
 	if o.InputImage != m.Critical.Image.Digest {
-		return "", "", fmt.Errorf("signature is valid for digest %q not for %q", m.Critical.Image.Digest, o.InputImage)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("signature is valid for digest %q not for %q", m.Critical.Image.Digest, o.InputImage)
 	}
-	return m.Critical.Image.Digest, m.Critical.Identity.DockerReference, nil
+	return m.Critical.Identity.DockerReference, nil
 }
 
 // verifyImageIdentity verifies the source of the image specified in the signature is
 // valid.
-func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) verifyImageIdentity(reference, digest string) error {
-	ref, err := imageapi.ParseDockerImageReference(reference)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) verifyImageIdentity(reference string) error {
+	if reference != o.ExpectedIdentity {
+		return fmt.Errorf("signature identity %q does not match expected image identity %q", reference, o.ExpectedIdentity)
 	}
-	// Verify the tag exists
-	tag, err := o.Client.ImageStreamTags(ref.Namespace).Get(ref.Name, ref.Tag)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if tag.Image.Name != o.InputImage {
-		return fmt.Errorf("signature identity %q does not match image %q", reference, tag.Image.Name)
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -207,12 +201,12 @@ func (o *VerifyImageSignatureOptions) Run() error {
 		}
 
 		// Verify the signed message content matches with the provided image id
-		digest, identity, signatureContentErr := o.verifySignatureContent(content)
+		identity, signatureContentErr := o.verifySignatureContent(content)
 		if signatureContentErr != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(o.ErrOut, "%s signature content cannot be verified: %v\n", o.InputImage, signatureContentErr)
 		}
 
-		identityError := o.verifyImageIdentity(identity, digest)
+		identityError := o.verifyImageIdentity(identity)
 		if identityError != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(o.ErrOut, "%s identity cannot be verified: %v\n", o.InputImage, identityError)
 		}