diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index da7d2587..a8bb2fa5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ jobs:
           sudo apt-get update
           sudo apt-get install rpm
           sudo apt-get install snapd
-          sudo apt-get install libgpgme-dev libassuan-dev libbtrfs-dev libdevmapper-dev pkg-config
+          sudo apt-get install libgpgme-dev libassuan-dev libbtrfs-dev libdevmapper-dev pkg-config python3-jsonschema
           git clone https://github.com/containers/skopeo -b v1.12.0 $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/src/github.com/containers/skopeo
           cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/src/github.com/containers/skopeo && \
             make bin/skopeo && \
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ jobs:
           curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d @.pkg/debug/githubWorkflows/introspection-query.json http://localhost:5000/v2/_zot/ext/search | jq > bin/zot-gql-introspection-result.json
           pkill zot
 
+      - name: Generate zot config schema on Release
+        if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published' && matrix.os == 'linux' && matrix.arch == 'amd64'
+        run: |
+          make verify-config-schema
+
       - if: github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'published'
         name: Publish artifacts on releases
         uses: svenstaro/upload-release-action@v2
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 726f293c..fa6891a5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ run: binary
 	./bin/zot-$(OS)-$(ARCH) serve examples/config-test.json
 
 .PHONY: verify-config
-verify-config: _verify-config verify-config-warnings verify-config-commited
+verify-config: _verify-config verify-config-warnings verify-config-commited verify-config-schema
 
 .PHONY: _verify-config
 _verify-config: binary
@@ -451,6 +451,15 @@ verify-config-commited: _verify-config
 		exit 1;\
 	fi; \
 
+.PHONY: check-jsonschema
+check-jsonschema:
+	jsonschema --version || (echo "You need python3-jsonschema to validate config examples against generated schema"; exit 1)
+
+.PHONY: verify-config-schema
+verify-config-schema: binary check-jsonschema
+	./bin/zot-$(OS)-$(ARCH) schema > bin/zot-schema.json
+	for i in $(filter-out $(wildcard examples/config-*-credentials.json), $(wildcard examples/config-*.json)); do echo $$i; jsonschema bin/zot-schema.json -i "$$i" -o pretty; done
+
 .PHONY: gqlgen
 gqlgen:
 	cd pkg/extensions/search;\
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 850c3939..96dac39f 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/redis/go-redis/v9 v9.18.0
 	github.com/regclient/regclient v0.11.2
 	github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v5 v5.3.1
+	github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v6 v6.0.2
 	github.com/sigstore/cosign/v3 v3.0.5
 	github.com/sigstore/sigstore v1.10.4
 	github.com/smartystreets/goconvey v1.8.1
@@ -442,7 +443,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/sagikazarmark/locafero v0.12.0 // indirect
 	github.com/samber/lo v1.52.0 // indirect
 	github.com/samber/oops v1.18.1 // indirect
-	github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v6 v6.0.2 // indirect
 	github.com/sassoftware/go-rpmutils v0.4.0 // indirect
 	github.com/sassoftware/relic v7.2.1+incompatible // indirect
 	github.com/secure-systems-lab/go-securesystemslib v0.10.0 // indirect
diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/root.go b/pkg/cli/server/root.go
index 91f02cb5..fc4696da 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/server/root.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/root.go
@@ -234,6 +234,8 @@ func NewServerRootCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(newVerifyCmd(conf))
 	// "scrub"
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(newScrubCmd(conf))
+	// "schema"
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(newSchemaCmd())
 	// "verify-feature"
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(newVerifyFeatureCmd(conf))
 	// "version"
diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go b/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go
index f5aa8641..3037ff99 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package server_test
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -86,6 +87,138 @@ func TestServerUsage(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestSchema(t *testing.T) {
+	Convey("Test schema command", t, func(c C) {
+		cmd := cli.NewServerRootCmd()
+		buf := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
+
+		cmd.SetArgs([]string{"schema"})
+		cmd.SetOut(buf)
+
+		err := cmd.Execute()
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+		var schemaDoc map[string]any
+		err = json.Unmarshal(buf.Bytes(), &schemaDoc)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+		So(schemaDoc["$schema"], ShouldEqual, "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#")
+		So(schemaDoc["title"], ShouldEqual, "zot config schema")
+
+		defs, ok := schemaDoc["definitions"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(defs, ShouldContainKey, "zotregistry.dev~1zot~1v2~1pkg~1api~1config.Config")
+		So(defs, ShouldContainKey, "zotregistry.dev~1zot~1v2~1pkg~1extensions~1config.ExtensionConfig")
+
+		rootRef, ok := schemaDoc["$ref"].(string)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(rootRef, ShouldEqual, "#/definitions/zotregistry.dev~01zot~01v2~01pkg~01api~01config.Config")
+
+		configSchema, ok := mustResolveSchemaRef(rootRef, defs)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		configProperties, ok := configSchema["properties"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(configProperties, ShouldContainKey, "distSpecVersion")
+		So(configProperties, ShouldContainKey, "storage")
+		So(configProperties, ShouldContainKey, "http")
+		So(configProperties, ShouldContainKey, "extensions")
+		So(configProperties, ShouldNotContainKey, "hTTP")
+
+		storageSchema, ok := mustResolvePropertySchema(configProperties, "storage", defs)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		storageProperties, ok := storageSchema["properties"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(storageProperties, ShouldContainKey, "rootDirectory")
+		So(storageProperties, ShouldContainKey, "gcDelay")
+		So(storageProperties, ShouldContainKey, "gcInterval")
+		So(storageProperties, ShouldContainKey, "subPaths")
+		So(storageProperties, ShouldNotContainKey, "gcMaxSchedulerDelay")
+		So(storageProperties, ShouldNotContainKey, "gCDelay")
+		So(storageProperties, ShouldNotContainKey, "gCInterval")
+
+		httpSchema, ok := mustResolvePropertySchema(configProperties, "http", defs)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		httpProperties, ok := httpSchema["properties"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(httpProperties, ShouldContainKey, "address")
+		So(httpProperties, ShouldContainKey, "port")
+		So(httpProperties, ShouldContainKey, "accessControl")
+
+		extensionsSchema, ok := mustResolvePropertySchema(configProperties, "extensions", defs)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		extensionsProperties, ok := extensionsSchema["properties"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(extensionsProperties, ShouldContainKey, "search")
+		So(extensionsProperties, ShouldContainKey, "sync")
+		So(extensionsProperties, ShouldContainKey, "metrics")
+
+		syncSchema, ok := mustResolvePropertySchema(extensionsProperties, "sync", defs)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		syncProperties, ok := syncSchema["properties"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(syncProperties, ShouldContainKey, "registries")
+
+		registriesSchema, ok := mustResolvePropertySchema(syncProperties, "registries", defs)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		registriesItemSchema, ok := registriesSchema["items"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+
+		registrySchema, ok := mustResolveSchema(registriesItemSchema, defs)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		registryProperties, ok := registrySchema["properties"].(map[string]any)
+		So(ok, ShouldBeTrue)
+		So(registryProperties, ShouldNotContainKey, "responseHeaderTimeout")
+	})
+}
+
+func mustResolvePropertySchema(properties map[string]any, name string, defs map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool) {
+	schema, ok := properties[name].(map[string]any)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+
+	return mustResolveSchema(schema, defs)
+}
+
+func mustResolveSchema(schema map[string]any, defs map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool) {
+	if schema == nil {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+
+	if ref, ok := schema["$ref"].(string); ok {
+		return mustResolveSchemaRef(ref, defs)
+	}
+
+	if anyOf, ok := schema["anyOf"].([]any); ok {
+		for _, option := range anyOf {
+			optionSchema, ok := option.(map[string]any)
+			if !ok {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			if optionType, ok := optionSchema["type"].(string); ok && optionType == "null" {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			return mustResolveSchema(optionSchema, defs)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return schema, true
+}
+
+func mustResolveSchemaRef(ref string, defs map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool) {
+	defKey := strings.TrimPrefix(ref, "#/definitions/")
+	// Decode one JSON Pointer token level to the stored definition key.
+	defKey = strings.NewReplacer("~1", "/", "~0", "~").Replace(defKey)
+	schema, ok := defs[defKey].(map[string]any)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+
+	return schema, true
+}
+
 func TestServe(t *testing.T) {
 	oldArgs := os.Args
 
diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/schema.go b/pkg/cli/server/schema.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f95714bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/schema.go
@@ -0,0 +1,385 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"maps"
+	"reflect"
+	"slices"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v6"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	"zotregistry.dev/zot/v2/pkg/api/config"
+)
+
+func newSchemaCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	schemaCmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "schema",
+		Short: "`schema` dumps JSON Schema for zot config",
+		Long:  "`schema` dumps JSON Schema for zot config",
+		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+			schemaDoc := buildConfigSchemaDocument()
+
+			schemaJSON, err := json.MarshalIndent(schemaDoc, "", "  ")
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			compiler := jsonschema.NewCompiler()
+			compiler.DefaultDraft(jsonschema.Draft7)
+
+			if err := compiler.AddResource("zot://config-schema.json", schemaDoc); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if _, err := compiler.Compile("zot://config-schema.json"); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("generated schema is invalid: %w", err)
+			}
+
+			if _, err := cmd.OutOrStdout().Write(schemaJSON); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			_, err = cmd.OutOrStdout().Write([]byte("\n"))
+
+			return err
+		},
+	}
+
+	return schemaCmd
+}
+
+func buildConfigSchemaDocument() map[string]any {
+	gen := newSchemaGenerator()
+
+	configSchema := gen.schemaForType(reflect.TypeFor[config.Config]())
+
+	doc := map[string]any{
+		"$schema":     "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+		"title":       "zot config schema",
+		"$ref":        configSchema["$ref"],
+		"definitions": gen.defs,
+	}
+
+	return doc
+}
+
+type schemaGenerator struct {
+	defs map[string]any
+}
+
+func newSchemaGenerator() *schemaGenerator {
+	return &schemaGenerator{defs: map[string]any{}}
+}
+
+func (g *schemaGenerator) schemaForType(reflectType reflect.Type) map[string]any {
+	if reflectType.Kind() == reflect.Pointer {
+		return nullableSchema(g.schemaForType(derefPointerType(reflectType)))
+	}
+
+	if reflectType.PkgPath() == "time" && reflectType.Name() == "Duration" {
+		return map[string]any{"type": "string"}
+	}
+
+	switch reflectType.Kind() {
+	case reflect.Bool:
+		return map[string]any{"type": "boolean"}
+	case reflect.Int, reflect.Int8, reflect.Int16, reflect.Int32, reflect.Int64,
+		reflect.Uint, reflect.Uint8, reflect.Uint16, reflect.Uint32, reflect.Uint64:
+		return map[string]any{"type": "integer"}
+	case reflect.Float32, reflect.Float64:
+		return map[string]any{"type": "number"}
+	case reflect.String:
+		return map[string]any{"type": "string"}
+	case reflect.Slice, reflect.Array:
+		return map[string]any{
+			"type":  "array",
+			"items": g.schemaForType(reflectType.Elem()),
+		}
+	case reflect.Map:
+		return map[string]any{
+			"type":                 "object",
+			"additionalProperties": g.schemaForType(reflectType.Elem()),
+		}
+	case reflect.Interface:
+		return map[string]any{}
+	case reflect.Struct:
+		return g.schemaForStruct(reflectType)
+	default:
+		return map[string]any{}
+	}
+}
+
+func (g *schemaGenerator) schemaForStruct(reflectType reflect.Type) map[string]any {
+	defName := schemaDefName(reflectType)
+	if defName != "." {
+		if _, ok := g.defs[defName]; ok {
+			return map[string]any{"$ref": "#/definitions/" + schemaDefRefToken(defName)}
+		}
+
+		g.defs[defName] = map[string]any{}
+	}
+
+	properties := map[string]any{}
+
+	for i := range reflectType.NumField() {
+		field := reflectType.Field(i)
+
+		if !field.IsExported() {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		fieldName, squash, skip := schemaFieldName(field)
+		if skip {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		fieldSchema := g.schemaForType(field.Type)
+
+		if squash {
+			if ref, ok := fieldSchema["$ref"].(string); ok {
+				defKey := schemaDefFromRefToken(strings.TrimPrefix(ref, "#/definitions/"))
+				if def, ok := g.defs[defKey].(map[string]any); ok {
+					mergeProperties(properties, def)
+				}
+			} else {
+				mergeProperties(properties, fieldSchema)
+			}
+
+			continue
+		}
+
+		properties[fieldName] = fieldSchema
+		for _, alias := range schemaFieldAliases(fieldName) {
+			if _, exists := properties[alias]; !exists {
+				properties[alias] = fieldSchema
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	schema := map[string]any{
+		"type":                 "object",
+		"properties":           properties,
+		"additionalProperties": false,
+	}
+
+	if defName == "." {
+		return schema
+	}
+
+	g.defs[defName] = schema
+
+	return map[string]any{"$ref": "#/definitions/" + schemaDefRefToken(defName)}
+}
+
+func schemaFieldName(field reflect.StructField) (string, bool, bool) {
+	jsonName, _, jsonSkip := parseStructTag(field.Tag.Get("json"))
+	if jsonSkip {
+		return "", false, true
+	}
+
+	mapstructureName, mapstructureFlags, mapstructureSkip := parseStructTag(field.Tag.Get("mapstructure"))
+	if mapstructureSkip {
+		return "", false, true
+	}
+
+	yamlName, yamlFlags, yamlSkip := parseStructTag(field.Tag.Get("yaml"))
+	if yamlSkip {
+		return "", false, true
+	}
+
+	if hasFlag(mapstructureFlags, "squash") || hasFlag(yamlFlags, "inline") {
+		return "", true, false
+	}
+
+	if jsonName != "" {
+		return jsonName, false, false
+	}
+
+	if mapstructureName != "" {
+		return mapstructureName, false, false
+	}
+
+	if yamlName != "" {
+		return yamlName, false, false
+	}
+
+	if field.Anonymous {
+		return "", true, false
+	}
+
+	return lowerCamelCase(field.Name), false, false
+}
+
+func parseStructTag(tag string) (string, []string, bool) {
+	if tag == "" {
+		return "", nil, false
+	}
+
+	parts := strings.Split(tag, ",")
+	flags := []string(nil)
+	if parts[0] == "-" {
+		return "", nil, true
+	}
+
+	if len(parts) > 1 {
+		flags = parts[1:]
+	}
+
+	return parts[0], flags, false
+}
+
+func hasFlag(flags []string, target string) bool {
+	return slices.Contains(flags, target)
+}
+
+func mergeProperties(dst map[string]any, schema map[string]any) {
+	props, ok := schema["properties"].(map[string]any)
+	if !ok {
+		return
+	}
+
+	keys := make([]string, 0, len(props))
+	for k := range props {
+		keys = append(keys, k)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(keys)
+
+	for _, key := range keys {
+		dst[key] = props[key]
+	}
+}
+
+func lowerCamelCase(input string) string {
+	if input == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	upperPrefixLen := 0
+	for upperPrefixLen < len(input) && input[upperPrefixLen] >= 'A' && input[upperPrefixLen] <= 'Z' {
+		upperPrefixLen++
+	}
+
+	if upperPrefixLen == 0 {
+		return input
+	}
+
+	if upperPrefixLen == len(input) {
+		return strings.ToLower(input)
+	}
+
+	if upperPrefixLen == 1 {
+		return strings.ToLower(input[:1]) + input[1:]
+	}
+
+	return strings.ToLower(input[:upperPrefixLen-1]) + input[upperPrefixLen-1:]
+}
+
+func schemaFieldAliases(fieldName string) []string {
+	aliases := []string{}
+
+	lower := strings.ToLower(fieldName)
+	if lower != fieldName {
+		aliases = append(aliases, lower)
+	}
+
+	collapsed := collapseUppercaseRuns(fieldName)
+	if collapsed != fieldName && collapsed != lower {
+		aliases = append(aliases, collapsed)
+	}
+
+	return aliases
+}
+
+func collapseUppercaseRuns(input string) string {
+	if input == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	builder := strings.Builder{}
+	builder.Grow(len(input))
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(input); {
+		uppercaseEnd := i
+		for uppercaseEnd < len(input) && input[uppercaseEnd] >= 'A' && input[uppercaseEnd] <= 'Z' {
+			uppercaseEnd++
+		}
+
+		if uppercaseEnd-i >= 2 {
+			builder.WriteByte(input[i])
+			builder.WriteString(strings.ToLower(input[i+1 : uppercaseEnd]))
+			i = uppercaseEnd
+
+			continue
+		}
+
+		builder.WriteByte(input[i])
+		i++
+	}
+
+	return builder.String()
+}
+
+func schemaDefName(reflectType reflect.Type) string {
+	if reflectType.Name() == "" {
+		return "."
+	}
+
+	name := reflectType.PkgPath() + "." + reflectType.Name()
+
+	// Keep definition keys safe/collision-free using RFC 6901 escaping.
+	// "~" becomes "~0" and "/" becomes "~1".
+	replacer := strings.NewReplacer("~", "~0", "/", "~1")
+
+	return replacer.Replace(name)
+}
+
+func schemaDefRefToken(defName string) string {
+	// $ref uses JSON Pointer tokens, which decode "~1"->"/" and "~0"->"~".
+	// Since defName is already RFC 6901-escaped for storage, escape it once more for pointer usage.
+	replacer := strings.NewReplacer("~", "~0", "/", "~1")
+
+	return replacer.Replace(defName)
+}
+
+func schemaDefFromRefToken(token string) string {
+	// Decode one JSON Pointer token level back to the stored definition key.
+	replacer := strings.NewReplacer("~1", "/", "~0", "~")
+
+	return replacer.Replace(token)
+}
+
+func derefPointerType(reflectType reflect.Type) reflect.Type {
+	for reflectType.Kind() == reflect.Pointer {
+		reflectType = reflectType.Elem()
+	}
+
+	return reflectType
+}
+
+func nullableSchema(schema map[string]any) map[string]any {
+	if schemaType, ok := schema["type"].(string); ok {
+		nullable := mapsClone(schema)
+		nullable["type"] = []any{schemaType, "null"}
+
+		return nullable
+	}
+
+	return map[string]any{
+		"anyOf": []any{
+			schema,
+			map[string]any{"type": "null"},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func mapsClone(src map[string]any) map[string]any {
+	dst := make(map[string]any, len(src))
+	maps.Copy(dst, src)
+
+	return dst
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/schema_test.go b/pkg/cli/server/schema_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ced6dc3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/schema_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+package server_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v6"
+	. "github.com/smartystreets/goconvey/convey"
+
+	cli "zotregistry.dev/zot/v2/pkg/cli/server"
+)
+
+func TestSchemaAllowsNullForPointerFields(t *testing.T) {
+	Convey("generated schema allows explicit null for pointer-backed config fields", t, func() {
+		cmd := cli.NewServerRootCmd()
+		buf := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
+
+		cmd.SetArgs([]string{"schema"})
+		cmd.SetOut(buf)
+
+		err := cmd.Execute()
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+		var schemaDoc map[string]any
+		err = json.Unmarshal(buf.Bytes(), &schemaDoc)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+		compiler := jsonschema.NewCompiler()
+		compiler.DefaultDraft(jsonschema.Draft7)
+
+		err = compiler.AddResource("zot://config-schema.json", schemaDoc)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+		compiledSchema, err := compiler.Compile("zot://config-schema.json")
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+		configWithNullPointers := map[string]any{
+			"http": map[string]any{
+				"auth": map[string]any{
+					"secureSession": nil,
+					"mtls":          nil,
+				},
+			},
+			"storage": map[string]any{
+				"retention": map[string]any{
+					"policies": []any{
+						map[string]any{
+							"deleteUntagged": nil,
+							"keepTags": []any{
+								map[string]any{
+									"pulledWithin": nil,
+									"pushedWithin": nil,
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			"extensions": map[string]any{
+				"sync": map[string]any{
+					"enable": nil,
+					"registries": []any{
+						map[string]any{
+							"tlsVerify":            nil,
+							"retryDelay":           nil,
+							"onlySigned":           nil,
+							"syncLegacyCosignTags": nil,
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			"cluster": nil,
+		}
+
+		err = compiledSchema.Validate(configWithNullPointers)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+
+		err = compiledSchema.Validate(map[string]any{
+			"storage": map[string]any{
+				"rootDirectory": "/tmp/zot",
+			},
+			"http": map[string]any{
+				"address": "127.0.0.1",
+				"port":    "8080",
+			},
+		})
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/storage/common/common.go b/pkg/storage/common/common.go
index 4f751aaa..a6635537 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/common/common.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/common/common.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/schema"
 	imeta "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go"
 	ispec "github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
-	"github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v5"
+	jsonschemaV5 "github.com/santhosh-tekuri/jsonschema/v5"
 
 	zerr "zotregistry.dev/zot/v2/errors"
 	zcommon "zotregistry.dev/zot/v2/pkg/common"
@@ -890,16 +890,12 @@ func ValidateImageIndexSchema(buf []byte) error {
 }
 
 func IsEmptyLayersError(err error) bool {
-	var validationErr *jsonschema.ValidationError
-	if errors.As(err, &validationErr) {
-		if len(validationErr.Causes) == 1 && strings.Contains(err.Error(), manifestWithEmptyLayersErrMsg) {
-			return true
-		} else {
-			return false
-		}
+	var validationErr *jsonschemaV5.ValidationError
+	if !errors.As(err, &validationErr) {
+		return false
 	}
 
-	return false
+	return len(validationErr.Causes) == 1 && strings.Contains(validationErr.Error(), manifestWithEmptyLayersErrMsg)
 }
 
 // DedupeTaskGenerator takes all blobs paths found in the storage.imagestore and groups them by digest.