diff --git a/cmd/oras/internal/option/target.go b/cmd/oras/internal/option/target.go
index b81c52b26..489eeb820 100644
--- a/cmd/oras/internal/option/target.go
+++ b/cmd/oras/internal/option/target.go
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ func (opts *Target) Parse(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 			}
 		} else {
 			opts.Reference = ref.Reference
+			ref.Reference = ""
+			opts.Path = ref.String()
 		}
 		return opts.Remote.Parse(cmd)
 	}
@@ -145,15 +147,7 @@ func (opts *Target) newOCIStore() (*oci.Store, error) {
 }
 
 func (opts *Target) newRepository(common Common, logger logrus.FieldLogger) (*remote.Repository, error) {
-	repo, err := opts.NewRepository(opts.RawReference, common, logger)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	tmp := repo.Reference
-	tmp.Reference = ""
-	opts.Path = tmp.String()
-	opts.Reference = repo.Reference.Reference
-	return repo, nil
+	return opts.NewRepository(opts.RawReference, common, logger)
 }
 
 // NewTarget generates a new target based on opts.
@@ -232,15 +226,7 @@ func (opts *Target) NewReadonlyTarget(ctx context.Context, common Common, logger
 		}
 		return store, nil
 	case TargetTypeRemote:
-		repo, err := opts.NewRepository(opts.RawReference, common, logger)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		tmp := repo.Reference
-		tmp.Reference = ""
-		opts.Path = tmp.String()
-		opts.Reference = repo.Reference.Reference
-		return repo, nil
+		return opts.NewRepository(opts.RawReference, common, logger)
 	}
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown target type: %q", opts.Type)
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/suite/command/pull.go b/test/e2e/suite/command/pull.go
index cb9e7a666..d463cf582 100644
--- a/test/e2e/suite/command/pull.go
+++ b/test/e2e/suite/command/pull.go
@@ -267,6 +267,13 @@ var _ = Describe("OCI spec 1.1 registry users:", func() {
 			Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
 		})
 
+		It("should show correct reference", func() {
+			tempDir := PrepareTempFiles()
+			ref := RegistryRef(ZOTHost, ArtifactRepo, foobar.Tag)
+			out := ORAS("pull", ref, "--format", "go-template={{.reference}}").WithWorkDir(tempDir).Exec().Out.Contents()
+			Expect(out).To(Equal([]byte("localhost:7000/command/artifacts@sha256:fd6ed2f36b5465244d5dc86cb4e7df0ab8a9d24adc57825099f522fe009a22bb")))
+		})
+
 		It("should pull specific platform", func() {
 			ORAS("pull", RegistryRef(ZOTHost, ImageRepo, "multi"), "--platform", "linux/amd64", "-v", "-o", GinkgoT().TempDir()).
 				MatchStatus(multi_arch.LinuxAMD64StateKeys, true, len(multi_arch.LinuxAMD64StateKeys)).Exec()