trust: switch policy.json lookup to configfile

Use shared configfile instead of custom policy.json path handling.
This updates ocipull to rely on signature.DefaultPolicy(), removes
explicit SignaturePolicyPath, and replaces trust's custom default-policy
path logic with common configfile code.

Replace hidden `--policypath` with --signature-policy` and require
it for `trust set` command instead of path resolution based on
configfile.

For `trust get`, the `--signature-policy` is optional.

Signed-off-by: Jan Kaluza <jkaluza@redhat.com>

cmd/podman/images/trust_set.go

@@ -35,8 +35,9 @@ func init() {
 		Parent:  trustCmd,
 	})
 	setFlags := setTrustCommand.Flags()
-	setFlags.StringVar(&setOptions.PolicyPath, "policypath", "", "")
+	signaturePolicyFlagName := "signature-policy"
-	_ = setFlags.MarkHidden("policypath")
+	setFlags.StringVar(&setOptions.PolicyPath, signaturePolicyFlagName, "", "Path to a signature-policy file")
+	_ = setTrustCommand.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(signaturePolicyFlagName, completion.AutocompleteDefault)
 
 	pubkeysfileFlagName := "pubkeysfile"
 	setFlags.StringArrayVarP(&setOptions.PubKeysFile, pubkeysfileFlagName, "f", []string{}, `Path of installed public key(s) to trust for TARGET.

cmd/podman/images/trust_show.go

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v6/cmd/podman/registry"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v6/pkg/domain/entities"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"go.podman.io/common/pkg/completion"
 	"go.podman.io/common/pkg/report"
 )
 
@@ -35,9 +36,9 @@ func init() {
 	})
 	showFlags := showTrustCommand.Flags()
 	showFlags.BoolVarP(&showTrustOptions.JSON, "json", "j", false, "Output as json")
-	showFlags.StringVar(&showTrustOptions.PolicyPath, "policypath", "", "")
+	showFlags.StringVar(&showTrustOptions.PolicyPath, "signature-policy", "", "Path to a signature-policy file")
+	_ = showTrustCommand.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("signature-policy", completion.AutocompleteDefault)
 	showFlags.BoolVar(&showTrustOptions.Raw, "raw", false, "Output raw policy file")
-	_ = showFlags.MarkHidden("policypath")
 	showFlags.StringVar(&showTrustOptions.RegistryPath, "registrypath", "", "")
 	showFlags.BoolVarP(&noHeading, "noheading", "n", false, "Do not print column headings")
 	_ = showFlags.MarkHidden("registrypath")

docs/source/markdown/podman-image-trust.1.md.in

@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ Trust may be updated using the command **podman image trust set** for an existin
   are referenced in policy.json. Any path to a file may be used but locating the file in **/etc/pki/containers** is recommended. Options may be used multiple times to
   require an image be signed by multiple keys.  The **--pubkeysfile** option is required for the **signedBy** and **sigstoreSigned** types.
 
+#### **--signature-policy**=*path*
+  Path to the signature policy file (**policy.json**) that Podman updates. This option is required for **set**.
+
 #### **--type**, **-t**=*value*
   The trust type for this policy entry.
   Accepted values:
@@ -76,16 +79,19 @@ Trust may be updated using the command **podman image trust set** for an existin
 #### **--raw**
   Output trust policy file as raw JSON
 
+#### **--signature-policy**=*path*
+  Path to the signature policy file (**policy.json**) to display. When omitted, Podman resolves the policy path from the system configuration the same way it selects a policy for image pulls.
+
 ## EXAMPLES
 
 Accept all unsigned images from a registry:
 ```
-sudo podman image trust set --type accept docker.io
+sudo podman image trust set --signature-policy /etc/containers/policy.json --type accept docker.io
 ```
 
 Modify default trust policy:
 ```
-sudo podman image trust set -t reject default
+sudo podman image trust set --signature-policy /etc/containers/policy.json -t reject default
 ```
 
 Display system trust policy:

go.mod

@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ require (
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1
 	github.com/vbauerster/mpb/v8 v8.12.0
 	github.com/vishvananda/netlink v1.3.1
-	go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9
+	go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d
-	go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9
+	go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d
-	go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9
+	go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.50.0
 	golang.org/x/net v0.53.0
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0

go.sum

@@ -429,12 +429,12 @@ go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric v1.42.0 h1:D/1QR46Clz6ajyZ3G8SgNlTJKBdGp84q9
 go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric v1.42.0/go.mod h1:Ua6AAlDKdZ7tdvaQKfSmnFTdHx37+J4ba8MwVCYM5hc=
 go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.42.0 h1:OUCgIPt+mzOnaUTpOQcBiM/PLQ/Op7oq6g4LenLmOYY=
 go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.42.0/go.mod h1:f3K9S+IFqnumBkKhRJMeaZeNk9epyhnCmQh/EysQCdc=
-go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9 h1:WOO740hWFwfvA+vcpXO9TaW9v/kMzWSiEx8Ulb0kX4U=
+go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d h1:zryioAYWqUu1BUPraJJ6q5mLiclNZ3kTuQyyBO/5vYs=
-go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9/go.mod h1:PIlj/bShUaMV9Dz4ygGPtUWZ3Zx4nukPO82Q/AnZrRA=
+go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d/go.mod h1:Pom4Io+8C+CCZzr3CRUkr6A5inTMY8nVaFS3X1Y5NbI=
-go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9 h1:7R6x8/GH9BprC+VjmU8BhGGxn9w/AZBmJqMm059S9s0=
+go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d h1:NeMM89Fwaw19guPj/hXEjBtoCeH/mGgbAWoBnpnRiIo=
-go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9/go.mod h1:E3RVHxc/Hmyq3U4DUpv+MSdmk/tkmAcSjp61K6YmAIU=
+go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d/go.mod h1:Yl9kZ8QslAOPc2rMkCrjPENCpSox6frxScCEzpmsQX4=
-go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9 h1:JK0umBWWQSgd8cx1YgOQeiIwtLTprW+iZrNKUxZX5kM=
+go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d h1:aMAdj9gLrVUz+Zb+nOxcoeT6+CC+8Rk2lHs1MC3kcQM=
-go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9/go.mod h1:13aOBf6782/fbAzH7QNEqlVzFu+X4sS4MxDM/VdJGZU=
+go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d/go.mod h1:13aOBf6782/fbAzH7QNEqlVzFu+X4sS4MxDM/VdJGZU=
 go.yaml.in/yaml/v2 v2.4.3 h1:6gvOSjQoTB3vt1l+CU+tSyi/HOjfOjRLJ4YwYZGwRO0=
 go.yaml.in/yaml/v2 v2.4.3/go.mod h1:zSxWcmIDjOzPXpjlTTbAsKokqkDNAVtZO0WOMiT90s8=
 go.yaml.in/yaml/v3 v3.0.4 h1:tfq32ie2Jv2UxXFdLJdh3jXuOzWiL1fo0bu/FbuKpbc=

libpod/runtime.go

@@ -439,7 +439,6 @@ func makeRuntime(ctx context.Context, runtime *Runtime) (retErr error) {
 	if runtime.imageContext.BigFilesTemporaryDir == "" {
 		runtime.imageContext.BigFilesTemporaryDir = parse.GetTempDir()
 	}
-	runtime.imageContext.SignaturePolicyPath = runtime.config.Engine.SignaturePolicyPath
 
 	// Get us at least one working OCI runtime.
 	runtime.ociRuntimes = make(map[string]OCIRuntime)

pkg/api/handlers/compat/images.go

@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ func ExportImage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func CommitContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	var err error
 	decoder := utils.GetDecoder(r)
 	runtime := r.Context().Value(api.RuntimeKey).(*libpod.Runtime)
 
@@ -121,17 +122,11 @@ func CommitContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		utils.Error(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse parameters for %s: %w", r.URL.String(), err))
 		return
 	}
-	rtc, err := runtime.GetConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		utils.Error(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, fmt.Errorf("Decode(): %w", err))
-		return
-	}
 	sc := runtime.SystemContext()
 	options := libpod.ContainerCommitOptions{
 		Pause: true,
 	}
 	options.CommitOptions = buildah.CommitOptions{
-		SignaturePolicyPath:   rtc.Engine.SignaturePolicyPath,
 		ReportWriter:          os.Stderr,
 		SystemContext:         sc,
 		PreferredManifestType: manifest.DockerV2Schema2MediaType,

pkg/api/handlers/libpod/images.go

@@ -487,6 +487,7 @@ func CommitContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	var (
 		destImage string
 		mimeType  string
+		err       error
 	)
 	decoder := r.Context().Value(api.DecoderKey).(*schema.Decoder)
 	runtime := r.Context().Value(api.RuntimeKey).(*libpod.Runtime)
@@ -510,11 +511,6 @@ func CommitContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		utils.Error(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse parameters for %s: %w", r.URL.String(), err))
 		return
 	}
-	rtc, err := runtime.GetConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		utils.Error(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, fmt.Errorf("failed to get runtime config: %w", err))
-		return
-	}
 	sc := runtime.SystemContext()
 	tag := "latest"
 	options := libpod.ContainerCommitOptions{
@@ -534,7 +530,6 @@ func CommitContainer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 	options.CommitOptions = buildah.CommitOptions{
-		SignaturePolicyPath:   rtc.Engine.SignaturePolicyPath,
 		ReportWriter:          os.Stderr,
 		SystemContext:         sc,
 		PreferredManifestType: mimeType,

pkg/domain/infra/abi/containers.go

@@ -642,10 +642,6 @@ func (ic *ContainerEngine) ContainerCommit(ctx context.Context, nameOrID string,
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	rtc, err := ic.Libpod.GetConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 	switch options.Format {
 	case "oci":
 		mimeType = buildah.OCIv1ImageManifest
@@ -670,7 +666,6 @@ func (ic *ContainerEngine) ContainerCommit(ctx context.Context, nameOrID string,
 		}
 	}
 	coptions := buildah.CommitOptions{
-		SignaturePolicyPath:   rtc.Engine.SignaturePolicyPath,
 		ReportWriter:          options.Writer,
 		SystemContext:         sc,
 		PreferredManifestType: mimeType,

pkg/domain/infra/abi/trust.go

@@ -6,20 +6,63 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v6/pkg/domain/entities"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v6/pkg/trust"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"go.podman.io/image/v5/types"
+	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/configfile"
+	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/homedir"
 )
 
+// policyPathFromConfigfile resolves policy.json the same way as [signature.DefaultPolicy]
+// (via [configfile.Read]); overridePath, if non-empty, wins.
+func policyPathFromConfigfile(sys *types.SystemContext, overridePath string) string {
+	if overridePath != "" {
+		return overridePath
+	}
+	if sys != nil && sys.SignaturePolicyPath != "" {
+		return sys.SignaturePolicyPath
+	}
+
+	root := ""
+	if sys != nil {
+		root = sys.RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths
+	}
+
+	policyFiles := configfile.File{
+		Name:                         "policy",
+		Extension:                    "json",
+		DoNotLoadDropInFiles:         true,
+		EnvironmentName:              "CONTAINERS_POLICY_JSON",
+		RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths: root,
+		ErrorIfNotFound:              false,
+	}
+
+	for item, err := range configfile.Read(&policyFiles) {
+		if err != nil {
+			logrus.Warnf("Resolving default policy path: %v", err)
+			break
+		}
+		if item != nil {
+			return item.Name
+		}
+	}
+	userDir, err := configfile.UserConfigPath()
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Warnf("Error resolving user config path for policy: %v", err)
+		return filepath.Join(homedir.Get(), filepath.FromSlash(".config/containers/policy.json"))
+	}
+	return filepath.Join(userDir, "policy.json")
+}
+
 func (ir *ImageEngine) ShowTrust(_ context.Context, _ []string, options entities.ShowTrustOptions) (*entities.ShowTrustReport, error) {
 	var (
 		err    error
 		report entities.ShowTrustReport
 	)
-	policyPath := trust.DefaultPolicyPath(ir.Libpod.SystemContext())
+	policyPath := policyPathFromConfigfile(ir.Libpod.SystemContext(), options.PolicyPath)
-	if len(options.PolicyPath) > 0 {
-		policyPath = options.PolicyPath
-	}
 	report.Raw, err = os.ReadFile(policyPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -42,14 +85,12 @@ func (ir *ImageEngine) SetTrust(_ context.Context, args []string, options entiti
 	if len(args) != 1 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("SetTrust called with unexpected %d args", len(args))
 	}
+	if options.PolicyPath == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("signature-policy path must be provided")
+	}
 	scope := args[0]
 
-	policyPath := trust.DefaultPolicyPath(ir.Libpod.SystemContext())
+	return trust.AddPolicyEntries(options.PolicyPath, trust.AddPolicyEntriesInput{
-	if len(options.PolicyPath) > 0 {
-		policyPath = options.PolicyPath
-	}
-
-	return trust.AddPolicyEntries(policyPath, trust.AddPolicyEntriesInput{
 		Scope:       scope,
 		Type:        options.Type,
 		PubKeyFiles: options.PubKeysFile,

pkg/machine/ocipull/policy.go

@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-package ocipull
-
-import (
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-
-	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-)
-
-// DefaultPolicyJSONPath should be overwritten at build time with the real path to the directory where
-// the shipped policy.json file is located. This can either be absolute path or a relative path. If it
-// is relative it will be resolved relative to the podman binary and NOT the CWD.
-//
-// use "-X github.com/containers/podman/v6/pkg/machine/ocipull.DefaultPolicyJSONPath=/somepath" in go ldflags to overwrite this
-var DefaultPolicyJSONPath = ""
-
-const policyfile = "policy.json"
-
-// policyPaths returns a slice of possible directories where a policy.json might live
-func policyPaths() []string {
-	paths := localPolicyOverwrites()
-	if DefaultPolicyJSONPath != "" {
-		if filepath.IsAbs(DefaultPolicyJSONPath) {
-			return append(paths, filepath.Join(DefaultPolicyJSONPath, policyfile))
-		}
-		p, err := os.Executable()
-		if err != nil {
-			logrus.Warnf("could not resolve relative path to binary: %q", err)
-		}
-		paths = append(paths, filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(p), DefaultPolicyJSONPath, policyfile))
-	}
-	return paths
-}

pkg/machine/ocipull/policy_unix.go

@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-//go:build !windows
-
-package ocipull
-
-import (
-	"path/filepath"
-
-	"go.podman.io/common/pkg/config"
-	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/homedir"
-)
-
-func localPolicyOverwrites() []string {
-	var dirs []string
-	if p, err := homedir.GetConfigHome(); err == nil {
-		dirs = append(dirs, filepath.Join(p, "containers", policyfile))
-	}
-	dirs = append(dirs, config.DefaultSignaturePolicyPath)
-	return dirs
-}

pkg/machine/ocipull/policy_windows.go

@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-package ocipull
-
-import (
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-)
-
-func localPolicyOverwrites() []string {
-	return []string{filepath.Join(os.Getenv("APPDATA"), "containers", policyfile)}
-}

pkg/machine/ocipull/pull.go

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/containers/buildah/pkg/parse"
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"go.podman.io/image/v5/oci/layout"
 	"go.podman.io/image/v5/signature"
 	"go.podman.io/image/v5/types"
+	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/configfile"
 )
 
 // pullOptions includes data to alter certain knobs when pulling a source
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ var noSignaturePolicy string = `{"default":[{"type":"insecureAcceptAnything"}]}`
 
 // pull `imageInput` from a container registry to `sourcePath`.
 func pull(ctx context.Context, imageInput types.ImageReference, localDestPath *define.VMFile, options *pullOptions) error {
-	var policy *signature.Policy
 	destRef, err := layout.ParseReference(localDestPath.GetPath())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -59,21 +58,13 @@ func pull(ctx context.Context, imageInput types.ImageReference, localDestPath *d
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// Policy paths returns a slice of directories where the policy.json
+	policy, err := signature.DefaultPolicy(sysCtx)
-	// may live.  Iterate those directories and try to see if any are
+	if err != nil {
-	// valid ignoring when the file does not exist
+		if !errors.Is(err, configfile.ErrConfigFileNotFound) {
-	for _, path := range policyPaths() {
-		policy, err = signature.NewPolicyFromFile(path)
-		if err != nil {
-			if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
-				continue
-			}
 			return fmt.Errorf("reading signature policy: %w", err)
 		}
-	}
 
-	// If no policy has been found yet, we use a no signature policy automatically
+		// If no policy has been found yet, we use a no signature policy automatically
-	if policy == nil {
 		logrus.Debug("no signature policy file found: using default allow everything signature policy")
 		policy, err = signature.NewPolicyFromBytes([]byte(noSignaturePolicy))
 		if err != nil {

pkg/trust/policy.go

@@ -7,17 +7,12 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"go.podman.io/common/pkg/config"
-	"go.podman.io/image/v5/types"
 	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/fileutils"
-	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/homedir"
 )
 
 // policyContent is the overall structure of a policy.json file (= c/image/v5/signature.Policy)
@@ -55,28 +50,6 @@ type genericTransportsContent map[string]genericRepoMap
 // genericRepoMap maps a scope name to requirements that apply to that scope (= c/image/v5/signature.PolicyTransportScopes)
 type genericRepoMap map[string]json.RawMessage
 
-// DefaultPolicyPath returns a path to the default policy of the system.
-func DefaultPolicyPath(sys *types.SystemContext) string {
-	if sys != nil && sys.SignaturePolicyPath != "" {
-		return sys.SignaturePolicyPath
-	}
-
-	userPolicyFilePath := filepath.Join(homedir.Get(), filepath.FromSlash(".config/containers/policy.json"))
-	err := fileutils.Exists(userPolicyFilePath)
-	if err == nil {
-		return userPolicyFilePath
-	}
-	if !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
-		logrus.Warnf("Error trying to read local config file: %s", err.Error())
-	}
-
-	systemDefaultPolicyPath := config.DefaultSignaturePolicyPath
-	if sys != nil && sys.RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths != "" {
-		return filepath.Join(sys.RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths, systemDefaultPolicyPath)
-	}
-	return systemDefaultPolicyPath
-}
-
 // gpgIDReader returns GPG key IDs of keys stored at the provided path.
 // It exists only for tests, production code should always use getGPGIdFromKeyPath.
 type gpgIDReader func(string) []string

test/e2e/trust_test.go

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman trust", Ordered, func() {
 	})
 
 	It("podman image trust show", func() {
-		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "show", "-n", "--registrypath", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test"), "--policypath", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test/policy.json")})
+		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "show", "-n", "--registrypath", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test"), "--signature-policy", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test/policy.json")})
 		session.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(session).Should(ExitCleanly())
 		outArray := session.OutputToStringArray()
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman trust", Ordered, func() {
 
 	It("podman image trust set", func() {
 		policyJSON := filepath.Join(podmanTest.TempDir, "trust_set_test.json")
-		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "set", "--policypath", policyJSON, "-t", "accept", "default"})
+		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "set", "--signature-policy", policyJSON, "-t", "accept", "default"})
 		session.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(session).Should(ExitCleanly())
 		var teststruct map[string][]map[string]string
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman trust", Ordered, func() {
 	})
 
 	It("podman image trust show --json", func() {
-		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "show", "--registrypath", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test"), "--policypath", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test/policy.json"), "--json"})
+		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "show", "--registrypath", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test"), "--signature-policy", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test/policy.json"), "--json"})
 		session.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(session).Should(ExitCleanly())
 		Expect(session.OutputToString()).To(BeValidJSON())
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman trust", Ordered, func() {
 	})
 
 	It("podman image trust show --raw", func() {
-		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "show", "--policypath", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test/policy.json"), "--raw"})
+		session := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"image", "trust", "show", "--signature-policy", filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test/policy.json"), "--raw"})
 		session.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
 		Expect(session).Should(ExitCleanly())
 		contents, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(INTEGRATION_ROOT, "test/policy.json"))

test/system/750-trust.bats

@@ -8,37 +8,37 @@ load helpers
 @test "podman image trust set" {
       skip_if_remote "trust only works locally"
       policypath=$PODMAN_TMPDIR/policy.json
-      run_podman 125 image trust set --policypath=$policypath --type=bogus default
+      run_podman 125 image trust set --signature-policy=$policypath --type=bogus default
       is "$output" "Error: invalid choice: bogus.*" "error from --type=bogus"
 
-      run_podman image trust set --policypath=$policypath --type=accept default
+      run_podman image trust set --signature-policy=$policypath --type=accept default
-      run_podman image trust show --policypath=$policypath
+      run_podman image trust show --signature-policy=$policypath
       is "$output" ".*all  *default  *accept" "default policy should be accept"
 
-      run_podman image trust set --policypath=$policypath --type=reject default
+      run_podman image trust set --signature-policy=$policypath --type=reject default
-      run_podman image trust show --policypath=$policypath
+      run_podman image trust show --signature-policy=$policypath
       is "$output" ".*all  *default  *reject" "default policy should be reject"
 
-      run_podman image trust set --policypath=$policypath --type=reject docker.io
+      run_podman image trust set --signature-policy=$policypath --type=reject docker.io
-      run_podman image trust show --policypath=$policypath
+      run_podman image trust show --signature-policy=$policypath
       is "$output" ".*all  *default  *reject" "default policy should still be reject"
       is "$output" ".*repository  *docker.io  *reject" "docker.io should also be reject"
 
-      run_podman image trust show --policypath=$policypath --json
+      run_podman image trust show --signature-policy=$policypath --json
       subset=$(jq -r '.[0] | .repo_name, .type' <<<"$output" | fmt)
       is "$subset" "default reject" "--json also shows default"
       subset=$(jq -r '.[1] | .repo_name, .type' <<<"$output" | fmt)
       is "$subset" "docker.io reject" "--json also shows docker.io"
 
-      run_podman image trust set --policypath=$policypath --type=accept docker.io
+      run_podman image trust set --signature-policy=$policypath --type=accept docker.io
-      run_podman image trust show --policypath=$policypath --json
+      run_podman image trust show --signature-policy=$policypath --json
       subset=$(jq -r '.[0] | .repo_name, .type' <<<"$output" | fmt)
       is "$subset" "default reject" "--json, default is still reject"
       subset=$(jq -r '.[1] | .repo_name, .type' <<<"$output" | fmt)
       is "$subset" "docker.io accept" "--json, docker.io should now be accept"
 
       policy="$(< $policypath)"
-      run_podman image trust show --policypath=$policypath --raw
+      run_podman image trust show --signature-policy=$policypath --raw
       is "$output" "$policy" "output should show match content of policy.json"
 }
 

vendor/go.podman.io/common/pkg/config/config.go

@@ -488,11 +488,6 @@ type EngineConfig struct {
 	// backwards compat with older version of libpod and Podman.
 	SetOptions
 
-	// SignaturePolicyPath is the path to a signature policy to use for
-	// validating images. If left empty, the containers/image default signature
-	// policy will be used.
-	SignaturePolicyPath string `toml:"-"`
-
 	// SDNotify tells container engine to allow containers to notify the host systemd of
 	// readiness using the SD_NOTIFY mechanism.
 	SDNotify bool `toml:"-"`

vendor/go.podman.io/common/pkg/config/config_bsd.go

@@ -2,12 +2,6 @@
 
 package config
 
-const (
-	// DefaultSignaturePolicyPath is the default value for the
-	// policy.json file.
-	DefaultSignaturePolicyPath = "/usr/local/etc/containers/policy.json"
-)
-
 var defaultHelperBinariesDir = []string{
 	"/usr/local/bin",
 	"/usr/local/libexec/podman",

vendor/go.podman.io/common/pkg/config/config_darwin.go

@@ -1,11 +1,5 @@
 package config
 
-const (
-	// DefaultSignaturePolicyPath is the default value for the
-	// policy.json file.
-	DefaultSignaturePolicyPath = "/etc/containers/policy.json"
-)
-
 var defaultHelperBinariesDir = []string{
 	// Relative to the binary directory
 	"$BINDIR/../libexec/podman",

vendor/go.podman.io/common/pkg/config/config_linux.go

@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"go.podman.io/common/pkg/capabilities"
 )
 
-const (
-	// DefaultSignaturePolicyPath is the default value for the
-	// policy.json file.
-	DefaultSignaturePolicyPath = "/etc/containers/policy.json"
-)
-
 func selinuxEnabled() bool {
 	return selinux.GetEnabled()
 }

vendor/go.podman.io/common/pkg/config/config_windows.go

@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// DefaultSignaturePolicyPath is the default value for the
-	// policy.json file.
-	DefaultSignaturePolicyPath = "/etc/containers/policy.json"
-
 	// Mount type for mounting host dir
 	_typeBind = "bind"
 )

vendor/go.podman.io/common/pkg/config/default.go

@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	nettypes "go.podman.io/common/libnetwork/types"
 	"go.podman.io/common/pkg/apparmor"
 	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/configfile"
-	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/fileutils"
 	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/homedir"
 	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/unshare"
 	"go.podman.io/storage/types"
@@ -177,9 +176,6 @@ const (
 	// DefaultSubnet is the subnet that will be used for the default
 	// network.
 	DefaultSubnet = "10.88.0.0/16"
-	// DefaultRootlessSignaturePolicyPath is the location within
-	// XDG_CONFIG_HOME of the rootless policy.json file.
-	DefaultRootlessSignaturePolicyPath = "containers/policy.json"
 	// DefaultShmSize is the default upper limit on the size of tmpfs mounts.
 	DefaultShmSize = "65536k"
 	// DefaultUserNSSize indicates the default number of UIDs allocated for user namespace within a container.
@@ -205,23 +201,6 @@ func defaultConfig() (*Config, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	defaultEngineConfig.SignaturePolicyPath = DefaultSignaturePolicyPath
-	// NOTE: For now we want Windows to use system locations.
-	// GetRootlessUID == -1 on Windows, so exclude negative range
-	if unshare.GetRootlessUID() > 0 {
-		configHome, err := homedir.GetConfigHome()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		sigPath := filepath.Join(configHome, DefaultRootlessSignaturePolicyPath)
-		defaultEngineConfig.SignaturePolicyPath = sigPath
-		if err := fileutils.Exists(sigPath); err != nil {
-			if err := fileutils.Exists(DefaultSignaturePolicyPath); err == nil {
-				defaultEngineConfig.SignaturePolicyPath = DefaultSignaturePolicyPath
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
 	return &Config{
 		Containers: ContainersConfig{
 			Annotations:         configfile.Slice{},

vendor/go.podman.io/image/v5/signature/policy_config.go

@@ -17,26 +17,17 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 
 	"go.podman.io/image/v5/docker/reference"
 	"go.podman.io/image/v5/signature/internal"
 	"go.podman.io/image/v5/transports"
 	"go.podman.io/image/v5/types"
-	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/fileutils"
+	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/configfile"
-	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/homedir"
 	"go.podman.io/storage/pkg/regexp"
 )
 
-// systemDefaultPolicyPath is the policy path used for DefaultPolicy().
-// You can override this at build time with
-// -ldflags '-X go.podman.io/image/v5/signature.systemDefaultPolicyPath=$your_path'
-var systemDefaultPolicyPath = builtinDefaultPolicyPath
-
-// userPolicyFile is the path to the per user policy path.
-var userPolicyFile = filepath.FromSlash(".config/containers/policy.json")
-
 // InvalidPolicyFormatError is returned when parsing an invalid policy configuration.
 type InvalidPolicyFormatError string
 
@@ -51,39 +42,45 @@ func (err InvalidPolicyFormatError) Error() string {
 // NOTE: When this function returns an error, report it to the user and abort.
 // DO NOT hard-code fallback policies in your application.
 func DefaultPolicy(sys *types.SystemContext) (*Policy, error) {
-	policyPath, err := defaultPolicyPath(sys)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return NewPolicyFromFile(policyPath)
-}
-
-// defaultPolicyPath returns a path to the relevant policy of the system, or an error if the policy is missing.
-func defaultPolicyPath(sys *types.SystemContext) (string, error) {
-	policyFilePath, err := defaultPolicyPathWithHomeDir(sys, homedir.Get(), systemDefaultPolicyPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-	return policyFilePath, nil
-}
-
-// defaultPolicyPathWithHomeDir is an internal implementation detail of defaultPolicyPath,
-// it exists only to allow testing it with artificial paths.
-func defaultPolicyPathWithHomeDir(sys *types.SystemContext, homeDir string, systemPolicyPath string) (string, error) {
 	if sys != nil && sys.SignaturePolicyPath != "" {
-		return sys.SignaturePolicyPath, nil
+		return NewPolicyFromFile(sys.SignaturePolicyPath)
 	}
-	userPolicyFilePath := filepath.Join(homeDir, userPolicyFile)
+
-	if err := fileutils.Exists(userPolicyFilePath); err == nil {
+	var rootForImplicitAbsPaths string
-		return userPolicyFilePath, nil
+	if sys != nil {
+		rootForImplicitAbsPaths = sys.RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths
 	}
-	if sys != nil && sys.RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths != "" {
+
-		return filepath.Join(sys.RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths, systemPolicyPath), nil
+	policyFiles := configfile.File{
+		Name:                         "policy",
+		Extension:                    "json",
+		DoNotLoadDropInFiles:         true,
+		EnvironmentName:              "CONTAINERS_POLICY_JSON",
+		RootForImplicitAbsolutePaths: rootForImplicitAbsPaths,
+		ErrorIfNotFound:              true,
 	}
-	if err := fileutils.Exists(systemPolicyPath); err == nil {
+
-		return systemPolicyPath, nil
+	var policy *Policy
+	for item, err := range configfile.Read(&policyFiles) {
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if policy != nil {
+			// Coverage: This should never happen, configfile.Read ensures at most one policy file.
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("internal error: expected at most one policy file, got another item %q", item.Name)
+		}
+
+		contents, err := io.ReadAll(item.Reader)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		policy, err = NewPolicyFromBytes(contents)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid policy in %q: %w", item.Name, err)
+		}
 	}
-	return "", fmt.Errorf("no policy.json file found at any of the following: %q, %q", userPolicyFilePath, systemPolicyPath)
+
+	return policy, nil
 }
 
 // NewPolicyFromFile returns a policy configured in the specified file.

vendor/go.podman.io/image/v5/signature/policy_paths_common.go

@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-//go:build !freebsd
-
-package signature
-
-// builtinDefaultPolicyPath is the policy path used for DefaultPolicy().
-// DO NOT change this, instead see systemDefaultPolicyPath above.
-const builtinDefaultPolicyPath = "/etc/containers/policy.json"

vendor/go.podman.io/image/v5/signature/policy_paths_freebsd.go

@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-//go:build freebsd
-
-package signature
-
-// builtinDefaultPolicyPath is the policy path used for DefaultPolicy().
-// DO NOT change this, instead see systemDefaultPolicyPath above.
-const builtinDefaultPolicyPath = "/usr/local/etc/containers/policy.json"

vendor/go.podman.io/storage/pkg/configfile/parse.go

@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ var (
 	// This can be overridden at build time with the following go linker flag:
 	// -ldflags '-X go.podman.io/storage/pkg/configfile.adminOverrideConfigPath=$your_path'
 	adminOverrideConfigPath = getAdminOverrideConfigPath()
+
+	// ErrConfigFileNotFound is returned when ErrorIfNotFound is true and no config
+	// file could be loaded.
+	ErrConfigFileNotFound = errors.New("config file not found")
 )
 
 type File struct {
@@ -43,6 +47,8 @@ type File struct {
 	Extension string
 
 	// EnvironmentName is the name of environment variable that can be set to specify the override.
+	// If EnvironmentName is set, the variable with _OVERRIDE suffix is also checked for an override
+	// unless DoNotLoadDropInFiles is set.
 	// Optional.
 	EnvironmentName string
 
@@ -55,6 +61,7 @@ type File struct {
 	DoNotLoadMainFiles bool
 
 	// DoNotLoadDropInFiles should be set if only the main files should be loaded.
+	// If DoNotLoadDropInFiles is set, the _OVERRIDE environment variable is ignored.
 	DoNotLoadDropInFiles bool
 
 	// DoNotUseExtensionForConfigName makes it so that the extension is only consulted for the drop in
@@ -70,6 +77,9 @@ type File struct {
 	// For compatibility reasons this field is written to with the fully resolved paths
 	// of each module as this is what podman expects today.
 	Modules []string
+
+	// ErrorIfNotFound is true if an error should be returned if no file is found.
+	ErrorIfNotFound bool
 }
 
 // Item is a single config file that is being read once at a time and returned by the iterator from [Read].
@@ -113,10 +123,14 @@ func Read(conf *File) iter.Seq2[*Item, error] {
 	}
 
 	return func(yield func(*Item, error) bool) {
+		usedPaths := make([]string, 0, 8)
+		foundAny := false
+
 		shouldLoadMainFile := !conf.DoNotLoadMainFiles
 		shouldLoadDropIns := !conf.DoNotLoadDropInFiles
 
 		yieldAndClose := func(f *os.File) bool {
+			foundAny = true
 			ok := yield(&Item{
 				Reader: f,
 				Name:   f.Name(),
@@ -134,6 +148,7 @@ func Read(conf *File) iter.Seq2[*Item, error] {
 
 		if conf.EnvironmentName != "" {
 			if path := os.Getenv(conf.EnvironmentName); path != "" {
+				usedPaths = append(usedPaths, path)
 				f, err := os.Open(path)
 				// Do not ignore ErrNotExist here, we want to hard error if users set a wrong path here.
 				if err != nil {
@@ -165,6 +180,7 @@ func Read(conf *File) iter.Seq2[*Item, error] {
 				if path == "" {
 					continue
 				}
+				usedPaths = append(usedPaths, path)
 				f, err := os.Open(path)
 				// only ignore ErrNotExist, all other errors get return to the caller via yield
 				if err != nil {
@@ -191,6 +207,7 @@ func Read(conf *File) iter.Seq2[*Item, error] {
 				return
 			}
 			for _, file := range files {
+				usedPaths = append(usedPaths, file)
 				f, err := os.Open(file)
 				// only ignore ErrNotExist, all other errors get return to the caller via yield
 				if err != nil {
@@ -211,7 +228,7 @@ func Read(conf *File) iter.Seq2[*Item, error] {
 			dirs := moduleDirectories(defaultConfig, overrideConfig, userConfig)
 			resolvedModules := make([]string, 0, len(conf.Modules))
 			for _, module := range conf.Modules {
-				f, err := resolveModule(module, dirs)
+				f, err := resolveModule(module, dirs, &usedPaths)
 				if err != nil {
 					yield(nil, fmt.Errorf("could not resolve module: %w", err))
 					return
@@ -224,9 +241,10 @@ func Read(conf *File) iter.Seq2[*Item, error] {
 			conf.Modules = resolvedModules
 		}
 
-		if conf.EnvironmentName != "" {
+		if conf.EnvironmentName != "" && !conf.DoNotLoadDropInFiles {
 			// The _OVERRIDE env must be appended after loading all files, even modules.
 			if path := os.Getenv(conf.EnvironmentName + "_OVERRIDE"); path != "" {
+				usedPaths = append(usedPaths, path)
 				f, err := os.Open(path)
 				// Do not ignore ErrNotExist here, we want to hard error if users set a wrong path here.
 				if err != nil {
@@ -238,6 +256,11 @@ func Read(conf *File) iter.Seq2[*Item, error] {
 				}
 			}
 		}
+
+		if conf.ErrorIfNotFound && !foundAny {
+			yield(nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: no %s file found; searched paths: %q", ErrConfigFileNotFound, configFileName, usedPaths))
+			return
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -324,8 +347,11 @@ func moduleDirectories(defaultConfig, overrideConfig, userConfig string) []strin
 }
 
 // Resolve the specified path to a module.
-func resolveModule(path string, dirs []string) (*os.File, error) {
+func resolveModule(path string, dirs []string, usedPaths *[]string) (*os.File, error) {
 	if filepath.IsAbs(path) {
+		if usedPaths != nil {
+			*usedPaths = append(*usedPaths, path)
+		}
 		return os.Open(path)
 	}
 
@@ -334,6 +360,9 @@ func resolveModule(path string, dirs []string) (*os.File, error) {
 	var multiErr error
 	for _, d := range dirs {
 		candidate := filepath.Join(d, path)
+		if usedPaths != nil {
+			*usedPaths = append(*usedPaths, candidate)
+		}
 
 		f, err := os.Open(candidate)
 		if err == nil {

vendor/modules.txt

@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace
 go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace/embedded
 go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace/internal/telemetry
 go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace/noop
-# go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9
+# go.podman.io/common v0.67.2-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d
 ## explicit; go 1.25.6
 go.podman.io/common/internal
 go.podman.io/common/libimage
@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ go.podman.io/common/pkg/umask
 go.podman.io/common/pkg/util
 go.podman.io/common/pkg/version
 go.podman.io/common/version
-# go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9
+# go.podman.io/image/v5 v5.39.3-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d
 ## explicit; go 1.25.6
 go.podman.io/image/v5/copy
 go.podman.io/image/v5/directory
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@ go.podman.io/image/v5/transports
 go.podman.io/image/v5/transports/alltransports
 go.podman.io/image/v5/types
 go.podman.io/image/v5/version
-# go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260416202057-7d53666cdee9
+# go.podman.io/storage v1.62.1-0.20260420103546-618304d6f83d
 ## explicit; go 1.25.0
 go.podman.io/storage
 go.podman.io/storage/drivers