diff --git a/cmd/compose/convert.go b/cmd/compose/convert.go
index d5f238d6c..91c8e3bb1 100644
--- a/cmd/compose/convert.go
+++ b/cmd/compose/convert.go
@@ -26,12 +26,8 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/cnabio/cnab-to-oci/remotes"
 	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/cli"
 	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/types"
-	"github.com/distribution/distribution/v3/reference"
-	cliconfig "github.com/docker/cli/cli/config"
-	"github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"github.com/docker/compose/v2/pkg/api"
@@ -127,22 +123,10 @@ func runConvert(ctx context.Context, backend api.Service, opts convertOptions, s
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if opts.resolveImageDigests {
-		configFile := cliconfig.LoadDefaultConfigFile(os.Stderr)
-
-		resolver := remotes.CreateResolver(configFile)
-		err = project.ResolveImages(func(named reference.Named) (digest.Digest, error) {
-			_, desc, err := resolver.Resolve(ctx, named.String())
-			return desc.Digest, err
-		})
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
 	content, err = backend.Convert(ctx, project, api.ConvertOptions{
-		Format: opts.Format,
-		Output: opts.Output,
+		Format:              opts.Format,
+		Output:              opts.Output,
+		ResolveImageDigests: opts.resolveImageDigests,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/api/api.go b/pkg/api/api.go
index 838268129..8494b6549 100644
--- a/pkg/api/api.go
+++ b/pkg/api/api.go
@@ -179,6 +179,8 @@ type ConvertOptions struct {
 	Format string
 	// Output defines the path to save the application model
 	Output string
+	// Resolve image reference to digests
+	ResolveImageDigests bool
 }
 
 // PushOptions group options of the Push API
diff --git a/pkg/compose/compose.go b/pkg/compose/compose.go
index 743b25cbb..73cc50184 100644
--- a/pkg/compose/compose.go
+++ b/pkg/compose/compose.go
@@ -23,16 +23,19 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"strings"
 
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
-
+	"github.com/cnabio/cnab-to-oci/remotes"
 	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/types"
+	"github.com/distribution/distribution/v3/reference"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/config/configfile"
+	registry "github.com/docker/cli/cli/registry/client"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/streams"
 	moby "github.com/docker/docker/api/types"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/filters"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/client"
+	"github.com/opencontainers/go-digest"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 
 	"github.com/docker/compose/v2/pkg/api"
 )
@@ -52,6 +55,10 @@ func (s *composeService) apiClient() client.APIClient {
 	return s.dockerCli.Client()
 }
 
+func (s *composeService) registryClient() registry.RegistryClient {
+	return s.dockerCli.RegistryClient(false)
+}
+
 func (s *composeService) configFile() *configfile.ConfigFile {
 	return s.dockerCli.ConfigFile()
 }
@@ -93,6 +100,18 @@ func getContainerNameWithoutProject(c moby.Container) string {
 }
 
 func (s *composeService) Convert(ctx context.Context, project *types.Project, options api.ConvertOptions) ([]byte, error) {
+	if options.ResolveImageDigests {
+		// TODO use dockercli.RegistryClient instead
+		resolver := remotes.CreateResolver(s.configFile())
+		err := project.ResolveImages(func(named reference.Named) (digest.Digest, error) {
+			_, desc, err := resolver.Resolve(ctx, named.String())
+			return desc.Digest, err
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
 	switch options.Format {
 	case "json":
 		return json.MarshalIndent(project, "", "  ")