diff --git a/cmd/skopeo/proxy.go b/cmd/skopeo/proxy.go
index d15f3ee72b..5204c8d233 100644
--- a/cmd/skopeo/proxy.go
+++ b/cmd/skopeo/proxy.go
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/manifest"
 	ocilayout "github.com/containers/image/v5/oci/layout"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/pkg/blobinfocache"
+	"github.com/containers/image/v5/signature"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/transports"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/transports/alltransports"
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/types"
@@ -95,7 +96,8 @@ import (
 // 0.2.3: Added GetFullConfig
 // 0.2.4: Added OpenImageOptional
 // 0.2.5: Added LayerInfoJSON
-const protocolVersion = "0.2.5"
+// 0.2.6: Policy Verification before pulling OCI
+const protocolVersion = "0.2.6"
 
 // maxMsgSize is the current limit on a packet size.
 // Note that all non-metadata (i.e. payload data) is sent over a pipe.
@@ -259,6 +261,19 @@ func (h *proxyHandler) openImageImpl(args []any, allowNotFound bool) (replyBuf,
 	}
 	imgsrc, err := imgRef.NewImageSource(context.Background(), h.sysctx)
 	if err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+	unparsedTopLevel := image.UnparsedInstance(imgsrc, nil)
+	policy, err := signature.DefaultPolicy(h.sysctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+	policyContext, err := signature.NewPolicyContext(policy)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ret, err
+	}
+	allowed, err := policyContext.IsRunningImageAllowed(context.Background(), unparsedTopLevel)
+	if !allowed || err != nil {
 		if allowNotFound && isNotFoundImageError(err) {
 			ret.value = sentinelImageID
 			return ret, nil