diff --git a/libimage/image_test.go b/libimage/image_test.go
index bf3ea4083..d2761fad9 100644
--- a/libimage/image_test.go
+++ b/libimage/image_test.go
@@ -219,6 +219,24 @@ func TestTag(t *testing.T) {
 	require.True(t, errors.Cause(err) == errTagDigest, "check for specific digest error")
 }
 
+func TestLookupWithoutTag(t *testing.T) {
+	// Regression test for github.com/containers/podman/issues/11964.
+	runtime, cleanup := testNewRuntime(t)
+	defer cleanup()
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	pullOptions := &PullOptions{}
+	pullOptions.Writer = os.Stdout
+	pulledImages, err := runtime.Pull(ctx, "docker.io/library/busybox:unstable", config.PullPolicyMissing, pullOptions)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, pulledImages, 1)
+
+	_, _, err = runtime.LookupImage("busybox", nil)
+	require.Error(t, err, "should not resolve to non-latest tag")
+	_, _, err = runtime.LookupImage("busybox:unstable", nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "should find local image")
+}
+
 func TestUntag(t *testing.T) {
 	// Note: this will resolve pull from the GCR registry (see
 	// testdata/registries.conf).
diff --git a/libimage/runtime.go b/libimage/runtime.go
index 7f25df200..a06790e33 100644
--- a/libimage/runtime.go
+++ b/libimage/runtime.go
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) LookupImage(name string, options *LookupImageOptions) (*Image,
 		}
 	}
 
-	return r.lookupImageInDigestsAndRepoTags(originalName, options)
+	return r.lookupImageInDigests(originalName, options)
 }
 
 // lookupImageInLocalStorage looks up the specified candidate for name in the
@@ -365,67 +365,31 @@ func (r *Runtime) lookupImageInLocalStorage(name, candidate string, options *Loo
 	return image, nil
 }
 
-// lookupImageInDigestsAndRepoTags attempts to match name against any image in
-// the local containers storage.  If name is digested, it will be compared
-// against image digests.  Otherwise, it will be looked up in the repo tags.
-func (r *Runtime) lookupImageInDigestsAndRepoTags(name string, options *LookupImageOptions) (*Image, string, error) {
-	// Until now, we've tried very hard to find an image but now it is time
-	// for limbo.  If the image includes a digest that we couldn't detect
-	// verbatim in the storage, we must have a look at all digests of all
-	// images.  Those may change over time (e.g., via manifest lists).
-	// Both Podman and Buildah want us to do that dance.
-	allImages, err := r.ListImages(context.Background(), nil, nil)
+// If name is a digested image, look at all images in the local storage and
+// check whether a digest matches.
+func (r *Runtime) lookupImageInDigests(name string, options *LookupImageOptions) (*Image, string, error) {
+	named, err := reference.ParseNormalizedNamed(name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
-
-	if !shortnames.IsShortName(name) {
-		named, err := reference.ParseNormalizedNamed(name)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, "", err
-		}
-		digested, hasDigest := named.(reference.Digested)
-		if !hasDigest {
-			return nil, "", errors.Wrap(storage.ErrImageUnknown, name)
-		}
-
-		logrus.Debug("Looking for image with matching recorded digests")
-		digest := digested.Digest()
-		for _, image := range allImages {
-			for _, d := range image.Digests() {
-				if d == digest {
-					return image, name, nil
-				}
-			}
-		}
-
+	digested, hasDigest := named.(reference.Digested)
+	if !hasDigest {
 		return nil, "", errors.Wrap(storage.ErrImageUnknown, name)
 	}
 
-	// Podman compat: if we're looking for a short name but couldn't
-	// resolve it via the registries.conf dance, we need to look at *all*
-	// images and check if the name we're looking for matches a repo tag.
-	// Split the name into a repo/tag pair
-	split := strings.SplitN(name, ":", 2)
-	repo := split[0]
-	tag := ""
-	if len(split) == 2 {
-		tag = split[1]
+	logrus.Debug("Looking for image with matching recorded digests")
+
+	allImages, err := r.ListImages(context.Background(), nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, "", err
 	}
+
+	digest := digested.Digest()
 	for _, image := range allImages {
-		named, err := image.inRepoTags(repo, tag)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, "", err
-		}
-		if named == nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		img, err := r.lookupImageInLocalStorage(name, named.String(), options)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, "", err
-		}
-		if img != nil {
-			return img, named.String(), err
+		for _, d := range image.Digests() {
+			if d == digest {
+				return image, name, nil
+			}
 		}
 	}