ImageStream imports only amd64 variant instead of manifest list despite imageStreamImportMode=PreserveOriginal on multi-arch cluster
This is related feature https://issues.redhat.com/browse/MULTIARCH-4971

    

4.21.0-rc.1
    

always
    

    1.Create a multi-arch cluster
oc get clusterversion/version -ojsonpath='{.status.desired}' | jq .
{
  "architecture": "Multi",
  "image": "quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:0cf15c466dd1be99508ba7629e33f65d7b2763e517b629e9f87dd03abd5b3e02",
  "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2026:16017",
  "version": "4.21.0-rc.1"
}

oc image info quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:0cf15c466dd1be99508ba7629e33f65d7b2763e517b629e9f87dd03abd5b3e02
error: the image is a manifest list and contains multiple images - use --filter-by-os to select from:

  OS            DIGEST
  linux/amd64   sha256:ef72b35eb6c7bc2b56e2283e2dc1376b0310100242d49757091184fee291d7ab
  linux/arm64   sha256:ab3316fc041e82794dcd063eb393f5cdb6698eaae373194a6e739ac5e5e4d752
  linux/s390x   sha256:8a74a0c93751b9b92720b9ffec2c8cbf4370720141c58348b26e8830d802988b
  linux/ppc64le sha256:c9c6ec84162379aff2f9a94ca227134912d72738743f1bf1084d410dd5b1b627

    2. ImageStreamImportMode is enabled
oc get featuregate cluster -o jsonpath='{.status.featureGates[*].enabled}' | jq -r  | grep -i "ImageStreamImportMode"
    "name": "ImageStreamImportMode"
    3. image.config is used correct imageStreamImportMode PreserveOriginal
oc get image.config/cluster -ojsonpath='{.status}' | jq .
{
  "imageStreamImportMode": "PreserveOriginal",
  "internalRegistryHostname": "image-registry.openshift-image-registry.svc:5000"
}
4. Check one image if is a multi arch image
 oc image info quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-v4.0-art-dev@sha256:9b08c6234066d27c1e1eda753fe7e46a92c8a0f0f68ba016fe0aa64484be247b
error: the image is a manifest list and contains multiple images - use --filter-by-os to select from:

  OS            DIGEST
  linux/amd64   sha256:4289cf991f6fa1b5768b7f1d9f394072312f0f2a8311e449fa77e2def8c727c2
  linux/arm64   sha256:86271af621003ac9a6002f68bd0cbcfa70ee3b07a6eb9885bafe957e58c7b46f
  linux/s390x   sha256:1174a5afaaf831eaec973b86d9164d0f1b82981e79f2a51ef3c2a3e5f89fc40e
  linux/ppc64le sha256:ff731c38d23286392305576d799844577929231055138fe417d4cf1208e5af38

5. Import this image with default importMode
oc import-image test1 --from=quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-v4.0-art-dev@sha256:9b08c6234066d27c1e1eda753fe7e46a92c8a0f0f68ba016fe0aa64484be247b --confirm

    

step 5
$ oc import-image test1 --from=quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-v4.0-art-dev@sha256:9b08c6234066d27c1e1eda753fe7e46a92c8a0f0f68ba016fe0aa64484be247b --confirm
imagestream.image.openshift.io/test1 imported

Name:			test1
Namespace:		test
Created:		About a minute ago
Labels:			<none>
Annotations:		openshift.io/image.dockerRepositoryCheck=2026-01-15T09:22:43Z
Image Repository:	image-registry.openshift-image-registry.svc:5000/test/test1
Image Lookup:		local=false
Unique Images:		1
Tags:			1

latest
  tagged from quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-v4.0-art-dev@sha256:9b08c6234066d27c1e1eda753fe7e46a92c8a0f0f68ba016fe0aa64484be247b

  * quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-v4.0-art-dev@sha256:4289cf991f6fa1b5768b7f1d9f394072312f0f2a8311e449fa77e2def8c727c2
      About a minute ago

Image Name:	test1:latest
Docker Image:	quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-v4.0-art-dev@sha256:4289cf991f6fa1b5768b7f1d9f394072312f0f2a8311e449fa77e2def8c727c2
Name:		sha256:4289cf991f6fa1b5768b7f1d9f394072312f0f2a8311e449fa77e2def8c727c2
Created:	Less than a second ago
Annotations:	image.openshift.io/dockerLayersOrder=ascending
Image Size:	324.5MB in 4 layers
Layers:		79.26MB	sha256:25c75c34b2e2b68ba9245d9cddeb6b8a0887371ed30744064f85241a75704d87
		50.06MB	sha256:57eb0cbd763b3c20cff7866b3d6290d14659623f71a8d4d1fbdbcb963173cfa0
		9.282MB	sha256:0e3992c496b2b6284b5f0e3297c5b1ae7363d4497ee38beacba699e8e11f1338
		185.9MB	sha256:86d47987b12fa960bc3dbe21a431a2f9cba04f04179f561eb54d2723b5d2332a
Image Created:	3 weeks ago
Author:		<none>
Arch:		amd64
Command:	/usr/bin/bash
Working Dir:	<none>
User:		<none>
Exposes Ports:	<none>
Docker Labels:	License=GPLv2+
		architecture=x86_64
		build-date=2025-12-19T22:01:42Z
		com.redhat.component=ose-tools-container
		com.redhat.license_terms=https://www.redhat.com/en/about/red-hat-end-user-license-agreements#UBI
		cpe=cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4.21::el9
		description=Empty
		distribution-scope=public
		io.buildah.version=1.41.4
		io.k8s.description=Contains debugging and diagnostic tools for use with an OpenShift cluster.
		io.k8s.display-name=OpenShift Tools
		io.openshift.build.commit.id=345800dc3c4164fbca313c1cbfb383f262547903
		io.openshift.build.commit.url=https://github.com/openshift/oc/commit/345800dc3c4164fbca313c1cbfb383f262547903
		io.openshift.build.source-location=https://github.com/openshift/oc
		io.openshift.build.versions=kubectl=1.34.1
		io.openshift.expose-services=
		io.openshift.maintainer.component=oc
		io.openshift.maintainer.project=OCPBUGS
		io.openshift.tags=openshift,tools
		maintainer=Red Hat, Inc.
		name=openshift/ose-tools-rhel9
		org.opencontainers.image.created=2025-12-19T22:01:42Z
		org.opencontainers.image.revision=315803ee0034737bae54ab4403e409c6fb361ae1
		release=202512191853.p2.g345800d.assembly.stream.el9
		summary=Empty
		url=https://access.redhat.com/containers/#/registry.access.redhat.com/rhel-els/images/9.4-847.1719484506
		vcs-ref=315803ee0034737bae54ab4403e409c6fb361ae1
		vcs-type=git
		vendor=Red Hat, Inc.
		version=v4.21.0
Environment:	PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
		container=oci
		GODEBUG=x509ignoreCN=0,madvdontneed=1
		ART_BUILD_ENGINE=konflux
		ART_BUILD_DEPS_METHOD=cachi2
		ART_BUILD_NETWORK=hermetic
		ART_BUILD_DEPS_MODE=default
		__doozer=merge
		BUILD_RELEASE=202512191853.p2.g345800d.assembly.stream.el9
		BUILD_VERSION=v4.21.0
		OS_GIT_MAJOR=4
		OS_GIT_MINOR=21
		OS_GIT_PATCH=0
		OS_GIT_TREE_STATE=clean
		OS_GIT_VERSION=4.21.0-202512191853.p2.g345800d.assembly.stream.el9-345800d
		SOURCE_GIT_TREE_STATE=clean
		__doozer_group=openshift-4.21
		__doozer_key=ose-tools
		__doozer_uuid_tag=ose-tools-rhel9-v4.21.0-20251219.200659
		__doozer_version=v4.21.0
		OS_GIT_COMMIT=345800d
		SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=1764672664
		SOURCE_GIT_COMMIT=345800dc3c4164fbca313c1cbfb383f262547903
		SOURCE_GIT_TAG=openshift-clients-4.20.0-202509230043-89-g345800dc3
		SOURCE_GIT_URL=https://github.com/openshift/oc

$ oc get is test1  -o jsonpath='{.spec.tags[*].importPolicy}'
{"importMode":"Legacy"}%
    

Should import PreserveOriginal on multi-arch cluster by default