diff --git a/cmd/podman/containers/create.go b/cmd/podman/containers/create.go
index f06869c4eb..52cf8fea41 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/containers/create.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/containers/create.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/containers/common/pkg/config"
-	storageTransport "github.com/containers/image/v5/storage"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/transports/alltransports"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/common"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/cmd/podman/registry"
@@ -16,9 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/entities"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/specgen"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/util"
-	"github.com/containers/storage"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
-	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -238,30 +235,12 @@ func createInit(c *cobra.Command) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// TODO: we should let the backend take care of the pull policy (which it
-// does!). The code below is at risk of causing regression and code divergence.
 func pullImage(imageName string) (string, error) {
 	pullPolicy, err := config.ValidatePullPolicy(cliVals.Pull)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	// Check if the image is missing and hence if we need to pull it.
-	imageMissing := true
-	imageRef, err := alltransports.ParseImageName(imageName)
-	switch {
-	case err != nil:
-		// Assume we specified a local image without the explicit storage transport.
-		fallthrough
-
-	case imageRef.Transport().Name() == storageTransport.Transport.Name():
-		br, err := registry.ImageEngine().Exists(registry.GetContext(), imageName)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", err
-		}
-		imageMissing = !br.Value
-	}
-
 	if cliVals.Platform != "" || cliVals.Arch != "" || cliVals.OS != "" {
 		if cliVals.Platform != "" {
 			if cliVals.Arch != "" || cliVals.OS != "" {
@@ -273,31 +252,28 @@ func pullImage(imageName string) (string, error) {
 				cliVals.Arch = split[1]
 			}
 		}
+	}
 
-		if pullPolicy != config.PullPolicyAlways {
-			logrus.Info("--platform --arch and --os causes the pull policy to be \"always\"")
-			pullPolicy = config.PullPolicyAlways
-		}
+	pullReport, pullErr := registry.ImageEngine().Pull(registry.GetContext(), imageName, entities.ImagePullOptions{
+		Authfile:        cliVals.Authfile,
+		Quiet:           cliVals.Quiet,
+		Arch:            cliVals.Arch,
+		OS:              cliVals.OS,
+		Variant:         cliVals.Variant,
+		SignaturePolicy: cliVals.SignaturePolicy,
+		PullPolicy:      pullPolicy,
+	})
+	if pullErr != nil {
+		return "", pullErr
 	}
 
-	if imageMissing || pullPolicy == config.PullPolicyAlways {
-		if pullPolicy == config.PullPolicyNever {
-			return "", errors.Wrap(storage.ErrImageUnknown, imageName)
-		}
-		pullReport, pullErr := registry.ImageEngine().Pull(registry.GetContext(), imageName, entities.ImagePullOptions{
-			Authfile:        cliVals.Authfile,
-			Quiet:           cliVals.Quiet,
-			Arch:            cliVals.Arch,
-			OS:              cliVals.OS,
-			Variant:         cliVals.Variant,
-			SignaturePolicy: cliVals.SignaturePolicy,
-			PullPolicy:      pullPolicy,
-		})
-		if pullErr != nil {
-			return "", pullErr
-		}
+	// Return the input name such that the image resolves to correct
+	// repo/tag in the backend (see #8082).  Unless we're referring to
+	// the image via a transport.
+	if _, err := alltransports.ParseImageName(imageName); err == nil {
 		imageName = pullReport.Images[0]
 	}
+
 	return imageName, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_create.go b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_create.go
index 162a98135b..15eb86422d 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_create.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/compat/containers_create.go
@@ -71,13 +71,12 @@ func CreateContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	imgNameOrID := newImage.ID()
 	// if the img had multi names with the same sha256 ID, should use the InputName, not the ID
 	if len(newImage.Names()) > 1 {
-		imageRef, err := utils.ParseDockerReference(resolvedName)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := utils.IsRegistryReference(resolvedName); err != nil {
 			utils.Error(w, http.StatusText(http.StatusBadRequest), http.StatusBadRequest, err)
 			return
 		}
 		// maybe the InputName has no tag, so use full name to display
-		imgNameOrID = imageRef.DockerReference().String()
+		imgNameOrID = resolvedName
 	}
 
 	sg := specgen.NewSpecGenerator(imgNameOrID, cliOpts.RootFS)
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images.go b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images.go
index a90408bfdd..fc6ab4b4c4 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images.go
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ func PushImage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		destination = source
 	}
 
-	if _, err := utils.ParseDockerReference(destination); err != nil {
+	if err := utils.IsRegistryReference(destination); err != nil {
 		utils.Error(w, http.StatusText(http.StatusBadRequest), http.StatusBadRequest, err)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images_pull.go b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images_pull.go
index 73d08a26e1..04b4156386 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images_pull.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images_pull.go
@@ -26,14 +26,16 @@ func ImagesPull(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	runtime := r.Context().Value("runtime").(*libpod.Runtime)
 	decoder := r.Context().Value("decoder").(*schema.Decoder)
 	query := struct {
-		Reference string `schema:"reference"`
-		OS        string `schema:"OS"`
-		Arch      string `schema:"Arch"`
-		Variant   string `schema:"Variant"`
-		TLSVerify bool   `schema:"tlsVerify"`
-		AllTags   bool   `schema:"allTags"`
+		Reference  string `schema:"reference"`
+		OS         string `schema:"OS"`
+		Arch       string `schema:"Arch"`
+		Variant    string `schema:"Variant"`
+		TLSVerify  bool   `schema:"tlsVerify"`
+		AllTags    bool   `schema:"allTags"`
+		PullPolicy string `schema:"policy"`
 	}{
-		TLSVerify: true,
+		TLSVerify:  true,
+		PullPolicy: "always",
 	}
 
 	if err := decoder.Decode(&query, r.URL.Query()); err != nil {
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ func ImagesPull(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	// Make sure that the reference has no transport or the docker one.
-	if _, err := utils.ParseDockerReference(query.Reference); err != nil {
+	if err := utils.IsRegistryReference(query.Reference); err != nil {
 		utils.Error(w, http.StatusText(http.StatusBadRequest), http.StatusBadRequest, err)
 		return
 	}
@@ -83,12 +85,18 @@ func ImagesPull(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	pullOptions.Writer = writer
 
+	pullPolicy, err := config.ParsePullPolicy(query.PullPolicy)
+	if err != nil {
+		utils.Error(w, "failed to parse pull policy", http.StatusBadRequest, err)
+		return
+	}
+
 	var pulledImages []*libimage.Image
 	var pullError error
 	runCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(r.Context())
 	go func() {
 		defer cancel()
-		pulledImages, pullError = runtime.LibimageRuntime().Pull(runCtx, query.Reference, config.PullPolicyAlways, pullOptions)
+		pulledImages, pullError = runtime.LibimageRuntime().Pull(runCtx, query.Reference, pullPolicy, pullOptions)
 	}()
 
 	flush := func() {
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/manifests.go b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/manifests.go
index f21eb2e80f..2f36db583a 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/manifests.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/libpod/manifests.go
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func ManifestPush(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to parse parameters for %s", r.URL.String()))
 		return
 	}
-	if _, err := utils.ParseDockerReference(query.Destination); err != nil {
+	if err := utils.IsRegistryReference(query.Destination); err != nil {
 		utils.Error(w, http.StatusText(http.StatusBadRequest), http.StatusBadRequest, err)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/api/handlers/utils/images.go b/pkg/api/handlers/utils/images.go
index 2662cd368b..2a1908d63e 100644
--- a/pkg/api/handlers/utils/images.go
+++ b/pkg/api/handlers/utils/images.go
@@ -15,22 +15,19 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
-// ParseDockerReference parses the specified image name to a
-// `types.ImageReference` and enforces it to refer to a docker-transport
-// reference.
-func ParseDockerReference(name string) (types.ImageReference, error) {
-	dockerPrefix := fmt.Sprintf("%s://", docker.Transport.Name())
+// IsRegistryReference checks if the specified name points to the "docker://"
+// transport.  If it points to no supported transport, we'll assume a
+// non-transport reference pointing to an image (e.g., "fedora:latest").
+func IsRegistryReference(name string) error {
 	imageRef, err := alltransports.ParseImageName(name)
-	if err == nil && imageRef.Transport().Name() != docker.Transport.Name() {
-		return nil, errors.Errorf("reference %q must be a docker reference", name)
-	} else if err != nil {
-		origErr := err
-		imageRef, err = alltransports.ParseImageName(fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", dockerPrefix, name))
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, errors.Wrapf(origErr, "reference %q must be a docker reference", name)
-		}
+	if err != nil {
+		// No supported transport -> assume a docker-stype reference.
+		return nil
 	}
-	return imageRef, nil
+	if imageRef.Transport().Name() == docker.Transport.Name() {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return errors.Errorf("unsupport transport %s in %q: only docker transport is supported", imageRef.Transport().Name(), name)
 }
 
 // ParseStorageReference parses the specified image name to a
diff --git a/pkg/api/server/register_images.go b/pkg/api/server/register_images.go
index b32c0df206..2641809ee5 100644
--- a/pkg/api/server/register_images.go
+++ b/pkg/api/server/register_images.go
@@ -964,6 +964,10 @@ func (s *APIServer) registerImagesHandlers(r *mux.Router) error {
 	//     description: Pull image for the specified variant.
 	//     type: string
 	//   - in: query
+	//     name: policy
+	//     description: Pull policy, "always" (default), "missing", "newer", "never".
+	//     type: string
+	//   - in: query
 	//     name: tlsVerify
 	//     description: Require TLS verification.
 	//     type: boolean
diff --git a/pkg/bindings/images/pull.go b/pkg/bindings/images/pull.go
index 9780c3bfff..7dfe9560c2 100644
--- a/pkg/bindings/images/pull.go
+++ b/pkg/bindings/images/pull.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/auth"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/bindings"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/domain/entities"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
+	"github.com/containers/podman/v3/pkg/errorhandling"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func Pull(ctx context.Context, rawImage string, options *PullOptions) ([]string,
 
 	dec := json.NewDecoder(response.Body)
 	var images []string
-	var mErr error
+	var pullErrors []error
 	for {
 		var report entities.ImagePullReport
 		if err := dec.Decode(&report); err != nil {
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func Pull(ctx context.Context, rawImage string, options *PullOptions) ([]string,
 
 		select {
 		case <-response.Request.Context().Done():
-			return images, mErr
+			break
 		default:
 			// non-blocking select
 		}
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func Pull(ctx context.Context, rawImage string, options *PullOptions) ([]string,
 		case report.Stream != "":
 			fmt.Fprint(stderr, report.Stream)
 		case report.Error != "":
-			mErr = multierror.Append(mErr, errors.New(report.Error))
+			pullErrors = append(pullErrors, errors.New(report.Error))
 		case len(report.Images) > 0:
 			images = report.Images
 		case report.ID != "":
@@ -94,5 +94,5 @@ func Pull(ctx context.Context, rawImage string, options *PullOptions) ([]string,
 			return images, errors.Errorf("failed to parse pull results stream, unexpected input: %v", report)
 		}
 	}
-	return images, mErr
+	return images, errorhandling.JoinErrors(pullErrors)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/bindings/images/types.go b/pkg/bindings/images/types.go
index 1f3e46729f..0aa75a81e1 100644
--- a/pkg/bindings/images/types.go
+++ b/pkg/bindings/images/types.go
@@ -147,6 +147,9 @@ type PullOptions struct {
 	// OS will overwrite the local operating system (OS) for image
 	// pulls.
 	OS *string
+	// Policy is the pull policy. Supported values are "missing", "never",
+	// "newer", "always". An empty string defaults to "always".
+	Policy *string
 	// Password for authenticating against the registry.
 	Password *string
 	// Quiet can be specified to suppress pull progress when pulling.  Ignored
diff --git a/pkg/bindings/images/types_pull_options.go b/pkg/bindings/images/types_pull_options.go
index 0611c4447d..8fcf499eb9 100644
--- a/pkg/bindings/images/types_pull_options.go
+++ b/pkg/bindings/images/types_pull_options.go
@@ -84,6 +84,22 @@ func (o *PullOptions) GetOS() string {
 	return *o.OS
 }
 
+// WithPolicy
+func (o *PullOptions) WithPolicy(value string) *PullOptions {
+	v := &value
+	o.Policy = v
+	return o
+}
+
+// GetPolicy
+func (o *PullOptions) GetPolicy() string {
+	var policy string
+	if o.Policy == nil {
+		return policy
+	}
+	return *o.Policy
+}
+
 // WithPassword
 func (o *PullOptions) WithPassword(value string) *PullOptions {
 	v := &value
diff --git a/pkg/domain/infra/tunnel/images.go b/pkg/domain/infra/tunnel/images.go
index 3fd9a755d3..42027a2dc3 100644
--- a/pkg/domain/infra/tunnel/images.go
+++ b/pkg/domain/infra/tunnel/images.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (ir *ImageEngine) Pull(ctx context.Context, rawImage string, opts entities.
 	options := new(images.PullOptions)
 	options.WithAllTags(opts.AllTags).WithAuthfile(opts.Authfile).WithArch(opts.Arch).WithOS(opts.OS)
 	options.WithVariant(opts.Variant).WithPassword(opts.Password)
-	options.WithQuiet(opts.Quiet).WithUsername(opts.Username)
+	options.WithQuiet(opts.Quiet).WithUsername(opts.Username).WithPolicy(opts.PullPolicy.String())
 	if s := opts.SkipTLSVerify; s != types.OptionalBoolUndefined {
 		if s == types.OptionalBoolTrue {
 			options.WithSkipTLSVerify(true)
diff --git a/pkg/errorhandling/errorhandling.go b/pkg/errorhandling/errorhandling.go
index 9b1740006f..6adbc9f344 100644
--- a/pkg/errorhandling/errorhandling.go
+++ b/pkg/errorhandling/errorhandling.go
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ func JoinErrors(errs []error) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	// If there's just one error, return it.  This prevents the "%d errors
+	// occurred:" header plus list from the multierror package.
+	if len(errs) == 1 {
+		return errs[0]
+	}
+
 	// `multierror` appends new lines which we need to remove to prevent
 	// blank lines when printing the error.
 	var multiE *multierror.Error
@@ -24,9 +30,6 @@ func JoinErrors(errs []error) error {
 	if finalErr == nil {
 		return finalErr
 	}
-	if len(multiE.WrappedErrors()) == 1 && logrus.IsLevelEnabled(logrus.TraceLevel) {
-		return multiE.WrappedErrors()[0]
-	}
 	return errors.New(strings.TrimSpace(finalErr.Error()))
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/specgen/generate/container.go b/pkg/specgen/generate/container.go
index d00e51e825..e7276892d8 100644
--- a/pkg/specgen/generate/container.go
+++ b/pkg/specgen/generate/container.go
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ func CompleteSpec(ctx context.Context, r *libpod.Runtime, s *specgen.SpecGenerat
 	var inspectData *libimage.ImageData
 	var err error
 	if s.Image != "" {
-		newImage, _, err = r.LibimageRuntime().LookupImage(s.Image, nil)
+		lookupOptions := &libimage.LookupImageOptions{IgnorePlatform: true}
+		newImage, _, err = r.LibimageRuntime().LookupImage(s.Image, lookupOptions)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/specgen/generate/container_create.go b/pkg/specgen/generate/container_create.go
index 7682367b7c..e53032ebea 100644
--- a/pkg/specgen/generate/container_create.go
+++ b/pkg/specgen/generate/container_create.go
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ func MakeContainer(ctx context.Context, rt *libpod.Runtime, s *specgen.SpecGener
 		options = append(options, libpod.WithRootFS(s.Rootfs))
 	} else {
 		var resolvedImageName string
-		newImage, resolvedImageName, err = rt.LibimageRuntime().LookupImage(s.Image, nil)
+		lookupOptions := &libimage.LookupImageOptions{IgnorePlatform: true}
+		newImage, resolvedImageName, err = rt.LibimageRuntime().LookupImage(s.Image, lookupOptions)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}