diff --git a/lib/src/cli.rs b/lib/src/cli.rs
index 77154fcb7..7d0fbea62 100644
--- a/lib/src/cli.rs
+++ b/lib/src/cli.rs
@@ -338,11 +338,11 @@ async fn upgrade(opts: UpgradeOpts) -> Result<()> {
         let mut imp = crate::deploy::new_importer(repo, &imgref).await?;
         match imp.prepare().await? {
             PrepareResult::AlreadyPresent(_) => {
-                println!("No changes in: {}", imgref);
+                println!("No changes in: {imgref:#}");
             }
             PrepareResult::Ready(r) => {
                 crate::deploy::check_bootc_label(&r.config);
-                println!("Update available for: {}", imgref);
+                println!("Update available for: {imgref:#}");
                 if let Some(version) = r.version() {
                     println!("  Version: {version}");
                 }
diff --git a/lib/src/deploy.rs b/lib/src/deploy.rs
index d47efbc31..90c5e40aa 100644
--- a/lib/src/deploy.rs
+++ b/lib/src/deploy.rs
@@ -119,11 +119,11 @@ pub(crate) async fn pull(
     quiet: bool,
 ) -> Result<Box<ImageState>> {
     let repo = &sysroot.repo();
-    let imgref = &OstreeImageReference::from(imgref.clone());
-    let mut imp = new_importer(repo, imgref).await?;
+    let ostree_imgref = &OstreeImageReference::from(imgref.clone());
+    let mut imp = new_importer(repo, ostree_imgref).await?;
     let prep = match imp.prepare().await? {
         PrepareResult::AlreadyPresent(c) => {
-            println!("No changes in {} => {}", imgref, c.manifest_digest);
+            println!("No changes in {imgref:#} => {}", c.manifest_digest);
             return Ok(Box::new((*c).into()));
         }
         PrepareResult::Ready(p) => p,
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn pull(
     }
     let import = import?;
     if let Some(msg) =
-        ostree_container::store::image_filtered_content_warning(repo, &imgref.imgref)?
+        ostree_container::store::image_filtered_content_warning(repo, &ostree_imgref.imgref)?
     {
         crate::journal::journal_print(libsystemd::logging::Priority::Notice, &msg);
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/spec.rs b/lib/src/spec.rs
index 4d9a08aee..6de963908 100644
--- a/lib/src/spec.rs
+++ b/lib/src/spec.rs
@@ -154,8 +154,13 @@ impl Default for Host {
 
 impl Display for ImageReference {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
-        let ostree_imgref = OstreeImageReference::from(self.clone());
-        ostree_imgref.fmt(f)
+        // For the default of fetching from a remote registry, just output the image name
+        if f.alternate() && self.signature.is_none() && self.transport == "registry" {
+            self.image.fmt(f)
+        } else {
+            let ostree_imgref = OstreeImageReference::from(self.clone());
+            ostree_imgref.fmt(f)
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -203,5 +208,14 @@ mod tests {
         let s = ImageReference::from(s);
         let displayed = format!("{s}");
         assert_eq!(displayed.as_str(), src);
+        // Alternative display should be short form
+        assert_eq!(format!("{s:#}"), "quay.io/example/foo:sometag");
+
+        let src = "ostree-remote-image:fedora:docker://quay.io/example/foo:sometag";
+        let s = OstreeImageReference::from_str(src).unwrap();
+        let s = ImageReference::from(s);
+        let displayed = format!("{s}");
+        assert_eq!(displayed.as_str(), src);
+        assert_eq!(format!("{s:#}"), src);
     }
 }