diff --git a/libimage/filters.go b/libimage/filters.go
index 441011edd..ff50321b7 100644
--- a/libimage/filters.go
+++ b/libimage/filters.go
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) compileImageFilters(ctx context.Context, options *ListImagesOp
 			filter = filterManifest(ctx, manifest)
 
 		case "reference":
-			filter = filterReferences(value)
+			filter = filterReferences(r, value)
 
 		case "until":
 			until, err := r.until(value)
@@ -268,8 +268,15 @@ func filterManifest(ctx context.Context, value bool) filterFunc {
 }
 
 // filterReferences creates a reference filter for matching the specified value.
-func filterReferences(value string) filterFunc {
+func filterReferences(r *Runtime, value string) filterFunc {
+	lookedUp, _, _ := r.LookupImage(value, nil)
 	return func(img *Image) (bool, error) {
+		if lookedUp != nil {
+			if lookedUp.ID() == img.ID() {
+				return true, nil
+			}
+		}
+
 		refs, err := img.NamesReferences()
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, err
@@ -306,6 +313,7 @@ func filterReferences(value string) filterFunc {
 				}
 			}
 		}
+
 		return false, nil
 	}
 }
diff --git a/libimage/filters_test.go b/libimage/filters_test.go
index e912056fa..12091b130 100644
--- a/libimage/filters_test.go
+++ b/libimage/filters_test.go
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ func TestFilterReference(t *testing.T) {
 		{"quay.io/libpod/*", 2},
 		{"busybox", 1},
 		{"alpine", 1},
+		{"alpine@" + alpine.Digest().String(), 1},
 	} {
 		listOptions := &ListImagesOptions{
 			Filters: []string{"reference=" + test.filter},